Sometimes Love is Stonger Than Hate
by bruised-tears
Summary: COMPLETEDsequel 'Passion Rules Us All..'I advise you to read 'Passion' first or you may get confusedyears after kendra was defeated,D&G's child is in her 7th yr at hogwarts and is unaware of the part she must play in the prophecy,full summary inside!
1. Dreams

**A/N**: I own the plot and the characters not recognisable from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'More to Life' by Stacie Orrico

Well here it is the long anticipated (HA!) sequel to Passion Rules Us All And We Obey We Have No Choice, this is just a taster, if ppl dont like it i wont continue it. I may take a while to update this because I've only just started my other one and am only writing this because I got threatened lol there also won't be much D/G action, sorry bout that, but there will be some I swear. R&R plz ppl!  
  
**Full Summary**: Years after kendra was defeated, Draco and Ginny's child is in her 7th year at Hogwarts and is unaware of the part she must play in the prophecy started all those years ago. but when she meets and gets to know her would-be killer, who is hell-bent on destroying everything that is good in the world, can she bring herself to kill the only man who ever understood her fully?

**Chapter One – Dreams**

I've got it all, but I feel so deprived  
I go up, I come down, and I'm emptier inside  
Tell me what is this thing that I feel like  
I'm missing and why can't I let it go?  
  
There's gotta be more to life  
Than chasing out every temporary high to satisfy me  
'Cause the more that I  
Trippin' up thinkin' there must be more to life  
Well, there's life, but I'm sure  
There's gotta be more

Appleby Malfoy shuddered and glanced up at the dormitory door to see who had accompanied the cold chill into her room. But instead of her shockingly silver-grey eyes meeting those of her best friend; Shari Carne's own pretty hazel ones they met only two pools of seething black hatred in a completely obscured face. She sat up slowly and watched soundlessly as the slender figure stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind them, silently approaching Appleby as she watched in morbid fascination as the long pale hands advanced on her throat. Finally a scream tore through her throat, escaping his squeezing fingers, as her fingernails scrabbled against the smooth surface of his gloves.

"Appleby! Appleby, wake up! It was only a dream. Appleby!"

Appleby jerked awake and stared up into the concerned brown eyes of Shari. It took a few seconds for her throat to catch up with her eyes and when it finally did she stopped her piercing shrieks and sat up shakily.

"What time is it?" She mumbled hoarsely.

"About four thirty on a Saturday morning." Shari grumbled back, already snuggling back into her own bed and drifting back to sleep.

Appleby reached up and placed a hand on her wildly beating heart; it felt like a drum roll was playing out against her ribs and she cast a quick nervous glance around the room. Nothing was out of the ordinary; no half-crazed axe-murderer in sight and she sighed heavily before rolling over in her heavy green quilts. Her last thought before sleep claimed her was the hatred in those eyes, it was beyond hatred; it was pure poisonous loathing mixed with something that looked oddly like affection. Appleby shook the thoughts out of her head and laid her head against the silver silk pillow waiting for oblivion to return her to a subconscious state.

* * *

Ginerva Malfoy jerked awake in the luxurious black and silver four-poster bed she shared with her husband and clutched at her heart frantically. Slowly the room focused and she recognised the huge mahogany wardrobe in the corner, the dark outline of the window directly in front of her and the empty fireplace to her right. After tracing her eyes over the few other pieces of priceless furniture in the room she sighed and lay back down next to her husband who was watching her in silence. 

Sighing again she wriggled into his arms and snuggled her head into the crook of his neck as he settled her into his arms, stroking her back through the thin lace of her white strappy night-gown.

"What was it?"

His voice was soft in her ear and she pushed back her dark red curls out of his way, her hair mixing with his platinum locks on the dark green silk pillow.

"Nothing, just a nightmare that wasn't mine."

Anyone else would have been confused but Draco nodded and increased the pressure of his stroking on her back until goose-bumps had sprung up all over her body.

"Well now that you've woken me up, you'll have to tire me out again."

Ginny grinned at the wickedness in his voice and snaked her hand down his chest towards the edge of his black pyjama pants, tickling the soft flesh there just below the waistband but not too far down as his lips moved to his favourite spot on her neck; just below her pulse point. His hand crept up the hem of her short night-dress to gently knead the soft flesh he found there, their laboured breathing was still getting heavier when a heartbreaking cry sounded from the next room and Draco laughed at the mutinous expression on Ginny's face as she drew away from him and half-lifted her head off the pillow to listen as the cry sounded again.

"If you find it so bloody funny you go and sort her out, she's your daughter as well."

Draco raised a silver-blond eyebrow at his smirking wife and leant over to kiss her on the lips once more;

"Don't move, I'll back to finish what was started."

Ginny edged kisses up his temple seductively as he slowly pulled away and stumbled out of the bed towards the door. Ginny grinned when she heard him trip over a dozen toys and pieces of furniture he should have known were there as he made his way down the hall towards their youngest daughter's room.

"Hush, Thaila hush."

Draco's soft voice reverberated through the whole deserted floor as he gently soothed his daughter back to sleep with a sense of patience and care no one would ever have thought him capable of possessing.

Hearing him making his way back down the hall Ginny raised herself up on one elbow so the strap on her left shoulder slipped down her arm as he gently closed the door behind him. She could just make out his outline as he rubbed his hands together gleefully;

"Now... where were we..."

* * *

"Good morning ladies, hope you're decent. Even better if you're not." 

A cheeky voice rang through the rather small room of the seventh year Slytherin girls' dormitory and one of its two sleepy inhabitants groaned and fought her way out of her sheets to wake herself properly, glancing around and taking in the two already empty beds of her fellow Slytherins and the still sleeping form of Appleby.

"Matt?" Shari mumbled, staggering out of bed and falling face first into the empty bed besides her as her twin brother lifted her up and set her on the way to the bathroom.

"What did you two do last night? You look barely human."

A second voice joined the room as a figure tumbled onto Shari's bed and watched as Shari rubbed her sleep-darkened eyes and stretched up onto her tiptoes before staggering into the bathroom.

"Shurrup!" Shari grinned around her toothbrush as she appeared in the bathroom door immediately after, her short mahogany hair ruffled and her eyes puffy.

"I'll have you know that Appleby had a nightmare at four thirty this morning and was screaming for five minutes before I could wake her up." She continued.

The three of them looked over to where Appleby was beginning to stir, she rolled over so tat she was facing Shari's bed and let out a gasp of horror before taking a closer look and rolling her eyes. It was only Finn Peters from her double Transfiguration and Shari's current boyfriend with one eyebrow raised and an amused smirk on his face.

Appleby had refused to admit even to herself that she had once had a crush on Finn, and she had been doubly glad when Shari had smugly announced they were dating to the school, surprisingly he had lasted longer than Shari's other boyfriends; almost four months now. Again and again Appleby had struggled to see how those two manage such a relationship when they were so opposite; Shari was confident and outgoing, never thinking before she spoke but always smoothing any ruffled feathers over afterwards with her masses of oozing charm. She had short russet locks in a wild choppy-layered haircut and huge brown eyes usually enhanced by a lot of dark greens and black eye make-up framed by a strikingly beautiful face with high cheekbones and creamy smooth skin.

She was curvy rather than chunky and always managed to look gorgeous with the least effort no matter what she was wearing, take now for instance; she was in a short strappy pink top and even smaller white shorts with her hair stuck up in all directions and make-up from last night's party smeared on her cheekbones and she still looked like it had all been done as part of a photo shoot or something.

Finn, however, instead of having movie-star good looks like Matthew or some of the other guys they all hung with, had more toned-down good-looks with big puppy dog brown eyes, a few freckles splattered across his sculpted cheeks and nose that enhanced his looks rather than marred them and shoulder-length sandy hair that was naturally wavy and fell into his eyes a lot. He blushed easily for a Slytherin and had an adorable smile that gave most girls thoughts they'd never dare mention in front of her parents.

Like his looks he was quiet most of the time due to an uncanny shyness rarely founding Slytherin, but he could be amazingly sharp with a cutting come-back if he was pushed or just in the mood for a battle of wits. He was also long and lean with a grace evident even now as he was sprawled across Shari's unmade bed in jeans and a green shirt. The mystery of those two was too complicated for Appleby on a Saturday morning and she mumbled her apologies before lurching off the bed towards the dressing table.

"Morning people."

A third voice joined the room and plopped onto the end of Appleby's now vacated bed, Cecy Benedict stretched out her legs and leaned back on her elbows;

"I'm exhausted; I've just spent all morning in the gym. Anyone fancy going into Hogsmeade later for outfits?"

Shari was stood besides Appleby, harshly tugging a brush through her hair; her face now free of last night's make-up and scrunched up in a confused yet adorable expression;

"Outfits?"

Cecy shook her head making her short raven-coloured hair arc around her as she watched Shari.

"For Felicity McClarence's party next week. Remember she was ill and missed all the others in the first two weeks so she's having one now. Honestly Shari; if your head wasn't screwed on you'd loose it."

As muttered agreements rose throughout the room Appleby slipped into the bathroom and set about fixing the car-wreck of her face. She scrubbed off the remains of last night's make-up and brushed her teeth vigorously, then she pulled a brush through her long silky blonde hair. Her hair never failed to amaze people when she informed them it was natural as it was such an odd colour; whiter than arctic blonde almost white-silver. Pushing two black slides into one side of her hair to keep it away from her face she set about renewing her make-up.

When she emerged she received a chorus of wolf-whistles from Matt and Finn and she spun around for them making her hair banner out around her head. The dream and the terror from last night were beginning to fade and she had begun to feel her usual bubbly, sarcastic self again. She let the conversation flow over her head as she pulled on a pair of loose dark blue jeans under a black skirt and a short-sleeved black top with a white one just visible attached to it underneath. She pulled on a chunky black belt with silver square studs glittering in it and rested it diagonally around her hips on top of the skirt, attaching her double chain from her skirt to it and pulling her hair up into a neat bun with two black barrettes thrust through it to hold it in place.

Shari finally emerged from the bathroom again in a short powder-blue dress with long flowing sleeves and slouched down besides Appleby who was pulling on her scuffed steel-toed boots, to tug on her chunky blue sandals.

"Everyone ready for Hogsmeade?"

Cecy's voice was muffled behind her hand as she sneakily applied some of Shari's designer pale coral lip-stick to her mouth.

"Are you going like that?" Matthew demanded as she got to her feet along with the rest of their friends.

"What's wrong with this?" Cecy replied sharply as she gestured down at her outfit.

Appleby knew exactly what was wrong with it; Cecy was dressed in a skin-tight red body-stocking tucked into a pair of equally tight black trousers that were moulded to her body. Appleby watched the possession in Matthew's eyes and knew he couldn't stand the thought of any other guy seeing her like that and getting ideas.

"Oh come on, Matt! We've been together since third year; I'm not going to cheat on you!" Cecy snapped irritably.

Matthew continued to glare at Cecy's enticing body for a while before finally letting his hand-some face split into a movie-star grin as Cecy sauntered over to him, pushing his long blond hair out of his dark chocolate eyes and leading him out of the room playfully.

"You guys go on ahead, there's something I need to do."

Shari waved Finn and Appleby out of the room, slamming the door behind them on the silent hallway. Appleby suddenly found herself alone in the corridor with Finn, glancing up at him she caught him doing the same to her and they both quickly averted their eyes and headed down the stairs towards the Common Room.

Appleby tried to relax once they were on the moving staircase that carried them up to the back entrance of the Entrance Hall but Finn's close proximity was dulling her senses. Breathing in harshly her nostrils filled with his soft earthy aftershave making her nose tingle, glancing up she saw caught sight of him trying to avoid her eyes and she lowered them to stare at the rise and fall of his chest instead. The loose short-sleeved shirt he was wearing over the rather tight white t-shirt was straining slightly against his biceps and it occurred to Appleby that she had never noticed how athletic his body was before now.

The second the stairway reached the Entrance Hall Appleby darted off and leant back against the wall, watching the moving stairways for any sign of Shari in the midst of the crowds of Slytherins continuously leaving the stairways and stopping to talk to Appleby and eye Finn curiously. In the end Appleby sighed and made her way over to the long desk where a single coloured disc lay besides each of the giant hourglasses that tracked each houses' House Points.

Appleby slumped on to the bench before the desk and placed her hand over the glowing green disc, an arrow of green light shot up through her fingers as she spoke and Finn dropped down next to her;

"Seventh year Slytherin girl's dormitories; Shari Carne."

The beam of light between her fingers widened into another disc balancing in the air and Shari's face appeared in its depths as Appleby called her name again, she looked up and collapsed onto the seat before the identical disc of Appleby's face in the dormitory.

"Shari? Are you ever going to get down here? Cecy and Matt got here ages ago!" Appleby grumbled into the disc.

Her attraction to Finn was making her feel guilty which she knew was the only reason she was making such a big deal out of Shari's legendary tardiness.

"I have a whole essay to do for transfiguration that has to be in tomorrow, you guys go ahead and I'll try and get into town as soon as I can."

Appleby's heart sank as she looked at Finn chattering about Quidditch to a couple of fellow Slytherins.

"Oh Shari, can't it wait?!" Appleby pleaded desperately, turning back to the disc where Shari was watching her curiously.

"Sorry, Appleby. No can do, I swear every time that old bat gives us a piece of homework I get an inch closer to suicide."

Appleby laughed and said goodbye before withdrawing her hand from the disc and turning to Finn who was once more alone and watching her.

"We're on our own it seems."

Finn grinned and offered her his arm before pulling her into the Great Hall for breakfast, where they received a lot of funny looks along with the usual disgust from the Griffindors. Holding her head high, Appleby stalked right past the other tables towards the Slytherin table at the opposite end and dropped into a seat besides Cecy and Matthew, immediately being dragged into a heavy debate about Slytherin's Quidditch chances now Gabriella Potter was Captain of the Griffindor team.


	2. Dangerous Desire

**A/N**: same old, only own what isn't from the books and the plot

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Immortality' by Celine Dion

Cheers for the reviews, all are answered below and keep reviewin plz! =) enjoy xx

**Chapter Two – Dangerous Desire**

And I will stand for my dream if I can,  
Symbol of my faith in who I am,  
But you are my only,  
And I must follow on the road that lies ahead,  
And I won't let my heart control my head,  
But you are my only  
And we don't say goodbye,  
And I know what I've got to be

Appleby sighed and continued to stare up at the silver and green embroidered canopy of her huge four-poster bed as Matthew sauntered in and flopped onto the bed besides her making the whole mattress shake.

"You look depressed as hell, angel."

Appleby sighed and handed him the rolled up letter from her lap, lying silently amidst the pillows as he read it through quickly before rolling it back up. He eyed his best friend as she absently scratched at her bare thigh beneath her lacy black knickers and matching lace camisole top. Anyone else would have been hard pushed to concentrate with Appleby Malfoy sprawled wantonly in her underwear on a double bed next to them, but Matthew had known her all his life and was too close to her as a brother to have any thoughts of anything else between them.

"Oh, so apparently you're meant to save the world?"

Appleby glanced up at Matthew who was watching her with a curious look on his face, shifting his gaze from the letter still clutched in his hand to her expressionless face. She rolled over onto her stomach and brought her legs up behind her, swinging them as she cradled her head in her hands and stared at the wall above the headboard of her bed.

"Yeah, my mom killed this Kendra person and I'm meant to have to deal with her offspring or something sometime soon."

Matthew raised an eyebrow at her and threw himself backwards onto the bed so his head was besides her elbow, looking up into her surprisingly calm face.

"And your mom and dad are like some part-vampire Mates?"

Appleby nodded and dropped her head onto her now folded arms on top of her pillow as he watched her, glancing back down at the letter now lying on his chest. He knew better than to accept the ice-cold façade Appleby showed the world, the two of them had grown up together along with Shari and he knew every single little gesture that gave away exactly what she was thinking. Take now for instance, she was twirling a loose strand of hair from the messy ponytail at the back of her head around her forefinger and knowing unconsciously on her bottom lip which she only did when she was extremely agitated.

"Well that makes sense."

Appleby looked up at him and he looked back at her steadily, watching as her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I got the same letter from my parents last week."

Appleby nearly fell off the bed in shock, but settled for punching him on the shoulder and sending a jerk through his entire body with its force.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" She hissed, sounding very like her mother had all those years ago.

He shrugged and tucked his arms behind his head, accepting the poisonous glare she was giving him easily and shaking his hair out of his eyes.

"It also asks if you had a nightmare last night, how did she know about that?"

Appleby shrugged and propped her head up in her hands again, kicking her legs gently backwards and forwards in an unconscious rhythm. Her thoughts drifted from the dream to her mother to Finn; she had spent all day with him yesterday as friends and they had definitely had fun acting like first years in the snow, until he had tried to kiss her and ruined it all.

Finn would have been the perfect guy for her if he hadn't been with Shari, but even if something had happened between them if he had been single it would only have lasted a couple of weeks at the most; she could never hold a relationship together for long before she got restless. She didn't know what it was she was looking for but she knew it wasn't at Hogwarts.

"Guys, are you planning on eating at all?"

Turning towards the door where Finn was slouching in the frame Appleby crawled over Matthew to get to the floor and wriggled into a pair of skin-tight black faded jeans and a long-sleeved turtle necked silver-grey sweater that turned her eyes to pure sparkling silver. Pulling on a pair of socks she rootled under her bed and pulled out a pair of designer pointed black high-heeled ankle boots that zipped up the back and retied her hair at the back of her head with a black ribbon.

"I'll meet you guys down there."

Appleby could have slapped Matthew when he said this and settled for stomping very hard on his foot as she passed on her way out of the door. Finding herself jammed against the wall as a group of fourth year girls, giving Finn appreciative glances, barged past chattering loudly, Appleby's face drained of colour and she backed away.

"Are you alright?"

There was concern in Finn's voice as Appleby rammed herself against the wall to keep from touching him.

"Shari."

Finn watched her carefully, slowly backing her against the wall as he advanced on her, making Appleby press herself flat against the cold stone wall.

"You don't think we should tell her what happened."

Appleby gaped at him, lowering her voice as some of her friends wandered past, nodding at Appleby as they passed.

"Nothing happened."

She looked down at the floor to avoid his searching eyes, when she looked up he was gone.

* * *

Appleby slipped into her seat besides Matthew and looked down at her hands; she was all screwed up inside no matter how cool she looked on the outside. Ignoring Finn she hitched a typical Malfoy smirk onto her face and blocked out all thoughts of the Prophecy her parents' letter had been about from her mind.

"What's up babes? You look awful!"

Appleby raised an arctic blonde eyebrow at Cecy sat opposite her making a great show of licking the cream off her spoon for Matthew who was swallowing noisier by the second.

"Just a headache that's all."

Matthew looked at her curiously as she toyed unenthusiastically with her roast beef and prodded her vegetables with her fork held limp in her fingers. Her mind was fixed on the letter her parents had sent her even though she had been trying her best to block it from her mind;

'I'm sorry you had to find out this way...'

'Your father and I were destined to be together it seems...'

'As much as I hate the fact, it is your hand that will save the world in the final fight...'

Appleby was so deep in thought she walked straight into someone without noticing until she was knocked to the floor. Looking up at the boy sprawled on the floor before her she gaped at him as he got to his feet, reaching out a hand to help her up. Pulling herself together she gripped his hand and climbed to her feet gracefully, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder and placing a hand on her hip, swinging her hip out to the side and staring down at him haughtily.

"Are you alright?"

The question knocked her for six; that was definitely not what she expected. Tossing her head again she glared at him with silver sparks in her eyes, he didn't move just stood and watched her, his hands at his sides and his eyes refusing to even blink until she was fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Yes, no thanks to you."

He didn't even blush as she gave him a glare that by rights should have had him in a coma; he continued to watch her with his dark inky-black eyes flecked with blue and silver and framed by thick black lashes too long and curling to be real. His prolonged silence was making her edgy which inevitably brought out the Malfoy bitchiness.

"Hello, anyone in there?"

He moved so swiftly she didn't realise what was happening until she was pinned against the wall, rammed against his body as a group of Gryffindor sixth year boys thundered past without looking where they were going, trampling over the place she had been stood in seconds before.

Her heart was racing as they stood in silence, neither moving away from the other even after the group of boys had gone. Her hands were flat on his chest, surprisingly muscular beneath the black and silver shirt, and his long white hands rested on her bent elbows. Their eyes were locked, black on silver as his heart beat steadily under her right hand, his thick raven locks sculpted to his head contrasted with his paler than white features and neck and faded into his shirt at the base of his neck.

"They're gone."

Neither of them moved for what seemed an eternity after she had spoken until he stepped back swiftly, leaving her feeling unnecessarily cold. By now her defences were shattered and she couldn't think what to say, no one had ever caused her to become speechless never mind the fact that she had only known him for ten minutes at the most. She studied him for a second before thrusting out her right hand towards him;

"Appleby Malfoy."

He watched her hand for a moment, watching the light from the flickering torches reflecting off her signet ring on her third finger. Eventually he took her hand in a surprisingly warm grip and she felt his own ring crushing against her fingers.

"Dante Curtis."

She smirked at him and released his hand, leaning back against the wall with her arms folded over her stomach and one eyebrow raised as she watched him. She was positive she had never seen him before and he intrigued her, he was as still and watchful as a cat or more likely a panther in his baggy black pants and short-sleeved black shirt revealing a tattoo of a Chinese symbol from his left shoulder to his elbow.

"Where were you heading to?"

She had never had to make small-talk before but this boy wouldn't speak unless he wanted to and she felt the desperate need to find out more about him, like it or not she was intrigued.

"Anywhere, just looking for somewhere to get away from the crowds."

Appleby watched him, gnawing on her bottom lip as she contemplated showing him the one place she was ever really alone; no one but her knew about the place so why not.

"You want somewhere to be alone; I'll show you a place."

He didn't say anything but followed her anyway as she propelled herself off the wall and started towards the staircase at the end of the corridor at a brisk pace, grinning when he matched her speed easily but still not making any attempt at striking up a conversation.

"The Astronomy Tower, not exactly a private place."

She shot him a glare and stalked over to the window overlooking the grounds, lifting one leg over the ledge and climbing out onto the thin window-sill. Scrabbling around on the top of the window frame she found the grooves she was looking for and dug her nails into them, pulling herself up and onto the roof before dangling her head upside down in the window and offering a hand to help Dante up. He refused her hand but followed her up nonetheless until they were both crawling up the slanting tiled room of the Astronomy Tower.

Once they reached the part of the roof that edged upwards into the point, Appleby placed her hand flat against it and pushed hard until the entire point had folded over revealing a trapdoor in the roof. Pulling it open she lowered herself into the room and waited for Dante to join her, pulling the trap door closed behind him.

They found themselves in a round room with a low slanting ceiling ending in a point in the centre where a circular candelabra was suspended by a long chain that lit the room with a strange glow. There were scattered bean bags and cushions to sit on around the room, a marble chess-set in the middle on a low Chinese table with cushions to sit on around it and a large ornate fireplace to the side.

Using her wand to light a fire and the few torches in brackets along the walls before slumping down onto one of the cushions and pulling two bottles of Butterbeer out from a secret compartment in the floor, Appleby gestured for Dante to sit down opposite her.

"What is this place?"

Appleby watched him curiously as he spun around in a slow circle taking in everything with his huge dark eyes before finally dropping down onto the cushion opposite her.

"It was a storage room but it was such a pain to get to that people gradually forgot all about it."

He watched her as intensely as she had been watching him as she took a sip of her Butterbeer, his eyes tracing the drink's progress down her snowy-white throat as she swallowed. He glanced down at the chessboard twinkling in the firelight and gestured with his hand at it;

"Do you play?"

Appleby's eyes lit up and she rose to the challenge, sitting up straighter and crossing her legs after pulling off her boots and rolling up her sleeves.

"My Uncle Ron taught me, he's the best. He beat that giant chess set here in his first year."

Dante raised his eyebrow but said nothing as she moved a pawn, waiting for him to make his move as she stared down at the board, her brow furrowed with concentration.

* * *

They were still engrossed in their game when a distant bell chiming made Appleby jump as she looked down at her watch; dinner time.

"Check."

She stretched up her arms above her head and hollowed her stomach as she stretched her aching back and rubbed her eyes, scrambling half-heartedly for her shoes.

"Not bad."

She glanced up at Dante who was surveying the board with an expressionless face, she watched him as he absently fingered the pieces he had already taken of hers while he pondered his next move. She missed his move as she was getting to her feet but she was definitely aware when he was stood besides her, his hand on the small of her back as he pushed open the trap-door above their heads which had proved to be made of glass transparent on their side but a simple black slab to the other side.

Helping her up he smirked at her discomfort and kissed her knuckles teasingly, leaning in towards her as her breath caught in her throat. Both of them were oblivious to the fact that they were only just balancing on a slanting room of the tallest tower at Hogwarts, the wind whipping their hair about their faces in a frenzy as she felt his hair tickle her cheek.

"Check-mate."

She briefly felt his breath against her ear before he had whipped around and was gone, disappeared back into the castle as she leaned back against the roof trying to catch her breath. She tugged open the trap-door and stuck her head inside, her eyes scanning the chess board until she caught sight of the move he had made; he had won he hadn't been bluffing.

Grumbling she made her way back into the castle, suddenly realising how much about herself she had revealed to cover up the uncomfortable silences his distant attitude created. Thinking back she also realised she had found out almost nothing more about him than she had known that morning when they had first met; only that his parents were dead and he lived with his uncle.

She paused outside the doors to the Great Hall and rubbed her chilled hands together uncomfortably; she really was in no mood to listen to the other's random gossip and questions about where she had been all day. She was about to turn away when Matt, Shari, Cecy and Finn appeared along the corridor behind her and swept her into their midst, somehow bustling her into the Great Hall as they did so. Sighing she cast a quick glance around the room but could see no sign of Dante anywhere, fighting back unreasonable disappointment she trailed after her friends towards the Slytherin table.

**((Dante's POV))**

He could smell her advancing down the corridor, her scent was tangy and enticing; the scent of the forbidden. Her footsteps were steady and her blood flow was regular so even before he saw her he knew she was deep in thought as she traipsed along the corridor with her head held high and a haughty expression on her striking face. Despite himself he stared; he hadn't expected her to be quite so beautiful, she had a pale heart-shaped face with high aristocratic cheek-bones framed by a veil of white-blonde hair that was at the moment pulled back into a plait at the back of her head. Her eyes were huge almond-shaped stars, a vivid dark silver colour he had never seen before above a scattering of freckles over her long nose like confetti against her pale skin above her luscious full pink lips, typically twisted into a smirk. He also noticed she didn't walk like a normal person she prowled, her back straight and her head held high proudly as she stalked along the corridors looking every inch a princess.

He stepped into her path to stop her and instead found himself barrelled over and flat on his back on the hard stone floor as she gaped at him from her seat on the floor. Getting to his feet quickly he extended a hand to help her up, surprising himself as much as obviously surprised her.

"Are you alright?"

He watched her as she visibly pulled herself together and dropped a hand onto her hip, swinging it out to the side and enhancing her curving figure as he watched, silently figuring out his next move.

"Yes, no thanks to you."

He stayed quiet as she stared back at him; he could tell his lack of speaking was unnerving her and he could also tell no one else would have been able to figure that one out; this girl was very good at hiding things she didn't want others to see.

"Hello, anyone in there?"

Once again he refrained from replying as he strained his ears at the slight noise he could hear in the distance, his nose twitched as he cocked his head slightly to the side; six boys. He could smell they were gaining on the pair of them as their footsteps grew louder in his ear and before she could react he had pinned her against the wall, his body pressed against hers as the boys thundered past.

He could hear her heartbeat jumping as she gazed up at him, her lips slightly open and her eyes huge as his hands slid down her arms to rest at her elbows. His own heartbeat was far from normal but he managed to slow it down before she felt it beneath her hand and he watched her, his sharp eyes picking out the desire she probably didn't even realise she felt at the back of her eyes. He could smell her lust now, a sharp tingling sensation in his nostrils as he breathed it in, but it was faint enough for him to know she couldn't feel anything other than a slight difference inside her to relate to it.

"They're gone."

He made no inclination that he had heard her as he watched her eyes drink in his appearance, flickering ever so slightly from his eyes to his hair to his features and back again. He stepped away from her and watched her eyes dance over his tattoo before meeting his eyes again as though in a trance.

"Appleby Malfoy."

His eyes strayed to her outstretched hand, taking in the sight of the signet ring on her third finger, the rare metal band and the small jewel glittering in the light of the torches lining the walls before he gripped it and shook it.

"Dante Curtis."

He released her hand and she leaned back against the wall, watching him once again as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Where were you heading to?"

He could see she was making an effort to get him to talk and he suppressed a smirk; his plan was working perfectly, if he could just get close enough to her he could find out what hurt her the most.

"Anywhere, just looking for somewhere to get away from the crowds."

He watched her shudder with pleasure involuntarily at the sound of his voice and this time couldn't hide his smirk as the lingering smell of desire shot up until it was surrounding her like a cloud of perfume.

"You want somewhere to be alone; I'll show you a place."

She set off at a fast pace down the hall and he hurried to keep up with her, partly because he didn't know his way around Hogwarts properly yet and partly because he had the feeling she was testing him.

"The Astronomy Tower, not exactly a private place." He sneered as she stopped outside the door before unlocking it with her wand and glaring at him on her way to the opposite window.

He followed her out of the window and up onto the roof, hardly straining himself at all with the climbing and grinning when he noticed the continuous looks Appleby shot him, reinforcing his certainty that she was somehow trying to test him. Dropping down into the room through the trapdoor he watched her light the candles, torches and fire before examining the room. He had to admit she had beautiful taste in interior designs, the minimalist furniture was stunning even if it was only cushions and low tables; he was willing to bet her bedroom was the same.

Cutting off that road of thought immediately he turned back towards her, sensing this was the only place at Hogwarts where she was truly relaxed.

"What is this place?"

He watched her drop down onto one of the oversized cushions at the end of the table, rummaging around and producing two Butterbeers before he relented and slumped onto the opposite cushion.

"It was a storage room but it was such a pain to get to that people gradually forgot all about it."

He couldn't resist watching her mouthful of Butterbeer's progress down her throat, her scent was overpowering him and he was furious with himself for being so violently attracted to her. To distract himself he moved his gaze down to the chessboard;

"Do you play?"

Her eyes lit up as she tugged off her shoes and rolled her sleeves up, crossing her legs and leaning towards the table.

"My Uncle Ron taught me, he's the best. He beat that giant chess set here in his first year."

He raised an eyebrow at her as she shifted one of her pawns and surveyed the board before moving his own pawn.

* * *

He heard the bells ringing seconds before she did and he didn't bother to raise his head when she began to pull her shoes back on. With his extra-sensitive hearing and sense of smell he knew exactly what she was doing without having to watch her.

"Check."

He raised his eyebrows at her move but still didn't look up at her.

"Not bad."

He felt her gaze on him as she stood up; smirking inwardly when her breath caught in her throat and her pulse began to beat twice as fast when she found him already on her feet before she was halfway up. He could smell her blood pounding through her veins in excitement as she watched him climb up through the trapdoor.

Smirking at her he leant down and met the hand he was lifting with his lips, letting his lips graze her knuckles until her heart rate was bouncing around all over the place. He leaned in towards her, listening with a contented grin as her breathing quickened;

"Check-mate."

Her eyes had flickered down temporarily and by the time she had snapped them up he had faded in a swirl of black mist. He watched her retreat back into the castle grumbling to herself. His plan was already working; she was attracted to him as well which was a bonus to his plan but there was one slight hitch he hadn't banked on; he was actually attracted to her instead of just having to pretend to be. He frowned at this, ignoring the quickening of his pulse as he remembered the feel of her body against his in the corridor and the smell of her raw desire sweeping over him. Narrowing his eyes he allowed himself to fade into mist again, appearing seconds later at what was temporarily his home.

**AnitaBlake/BuffyFan** = thanks very much I'm glad you like my stories so much =D

**kneh13** = cheers, hope ya had a good birthday

**bigreader** = I hope your questions were answered but if they weren't tell me =)

**Chantal J** = thanx hope you like this chapter

**TarynMalfoy88** = thanx a lot, glad you like it

**valentines-hater** = this is seventeen years after the first one as its Ginny/Draco's child's last year at Hogwarts

**mell8** = thanx, I got continuously harassed until I agreed to do the sequel lol

**Alicandra Black** = cheers I'm glad you like my stories, sorry you don't like the name but she is half Weasley as well and it just sounded kind of ok when I was writing it

**Kazte** = thanx I hope you like it


	3. Performance Part I

**A/N**: only own characters not recognised from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Everybody's Free' from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack

The lyrics from the show are:

'Young Hearts Run Free' from the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack, 'You're The Top' by Ethel Merman, 'Follow Me' by Uncle Kracker (one of the best songs ever written, EVER!!) The scene at the end is from Romeo and Juliet obviously

I know there isn't much in this chapter and no Draco/Ginny but I promise there will be some in the next chapter, it would have been in this one but it would be too long then

**Chapter One – Performance Part I**

Brother and sister, together,  
Will make it through, oh oh yeah  
Someday, a spirit will take you and guide you there  
I know, you've been hurting,  
But I've been waiting to be there for you  
And I'll be there, just helping you out whenever I can  
  
Everybody's free, oooh yeah yeah  
(Everybody's free, everybody's free)  
Oh, everybody's free, oh yeah  
(Everybody's free, everybody's free)  
Oooh, to feel good (to feel good)  
Oooh, to feel good

Appleby laughed and waved at Matthew when he tugged open the door to her dormitory and slouched onto Shari's bed opposite her grinning wildly as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"So... Christmas is coming, tonight is the performance... nervous?"

Appleby shrugged and turned back to Cecy who was styling her hair for the Christmas concert that night. Appleby was to act a scene from 'Romeo and Juliet' and was singing on and off for the entire evening as part of the production a select few had been rehearsing to perform in front of the entire school and parents that evening.

"You're done."

Appleby grinned and kissed Cecy on her cheek before getting to her feet and hobbling on her numbed legs over to her dressing table to do her make-up.

"So how are we getting to the Manor for the Christmas party?"

Appleby looked into the mirror at the reflection of Cecy as she sank down onto Matthew's knee with her arm round his shoulders.

"After the performance everyone with an invitation has a carriage waiting to take them down to Hogsmeade where there's a Portkey waiting for us."

Cecy nodded before bending down and whispering into Matthew's ear something that made him choke and turn a vivid red colour, noticing Cecy's hand creeping up Matthew's shirt Appleby had no problem guessing what they were thinking.

"Go on, I only need to put my Opening outfit on."

Cecy grinned wickedly at her and dragged Matthew out of the room with a last wink over her shoulder at a smirking Appleby. Turning back to look in the mirror she masked her surprise with a blank face and a raised eyebrow when she found Dante's reflection smirking back at her. He was lounging against one of the posts of her bed with his arms folded and his ankles crossed under his expensive-looking leather pants and designer Basilisk skin boots.

"You know a warning would be nice before you just pop up. What are you doing here anyway, and how much did you pay for those pants?!"

Dante pushed himself up off the post and shifted around so he could see her reflection clearly as she eyed his pants with a hypocritical look on her face having been known to spend outrageous amounts of money on clothing herself.

"I'm here for the concert obviously, I'm performing. And I paid five hundred and fifty galleons."

She raised a newly plucked eyebrow at him as she rubbed in faint glitter dust, which shone in the light, on her high cheekbones and smeared it out until it faded. She ringed her eyes in thick black eyeliner and lengthened her lashes with wizard mascara which curled her lashes as it went on. Touching her pouted lips up with glitter lip gloss she got to her feet and moved over to the back of the bathroom door where her outfit was hanging in a plastic carrier.

"Turn around." She ordered, glancing at Dante who was watching her with detached interest still in the same position as when he had first arrived.

"Why would I be inclined to do that?"

Unconsciously tightening the belt on her green silk bathrobe she crossed the room and jabbed him in the long-sleeved black designer V-necked sweater covered chest with a long-nailed newly manicured acrylic fingernail.

"Because, if you were disinclined to do that I'll tie your balls to your ankles with the shortest string I can find and then burn your five hundred galleon pants in front of you."

Jabbing him in the centre of his chest with her fingernail at each word the corners of his mouth slowly curved up into a seductive smirk and she took a rapid step back as her heartbeat jumped up a notch.

"Five hundred and fifty galleons."

She pulled a face at him and wandered back over to collect her first outfit of the night; a spandex jet-black cat-suit, the top half held to the bottom half by an inch wide strap on the back and front from the diamond shaped top to the skin-tight bottoms that flared out from the knees. She tugged on the outfit as quickly as she could; well aware Dante had no intention of straining himself to turn away, she pulled on her black dancing shoes, with the heels that clicked with every step, and tugged the tight bands; with streaming black ribbons down to her hips up her upper arms.

Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun held in by a black ribbon and scattered silver and green jewels and a pair of jet-black and jade-green barrettes securing it. She dropped onto the seat by the dressing table once more and grabbed a thin make-up brush, dipping it into a tub and drawing a line on the outside of her eyes until it met in the outer corner and stretched the flick out to nearly at her temple in black eyeliner flecked with silver.

When she turned around to look at Dante she was amused to see that even he couldn't hide his shock at the differences her make-up made to her eyes; they now dominated her face in hypnotising silver swirls.

"What are you singing?"

Once again she felt the urge to make small-talk and found herself blurting out the first thing that came into her foggy brain. She curled her legs, alternately lined in silver green and black gems, underneath her as she watched him watch her; he always stood so still he gave the impression of being a portrait or tapestry. She blinked and before she knew it he was leaning over her, his mouth next to her lips and his enticing aftershave sending her reeling;

"It's a surprise."

Her eyes fluttered closed of their own accord and silence descended on the room. She jumped when the door banged open and a fifth year Slytherin girl with her hair in no-nonsense-French plaits and a clipboard clutched in her hands barged in;

"You're on stage in five, Appleby."

Slowly she opened her eyes and stared around the room dazedly, Dante was gone once again and she nodded vaguely at the girl before getting to her feet and pulling her professional self together. She could never figure that guy out, and what scared her most about the situation was that whenever they were together she knew she wasn't in control; he sent her emotions up the wall and her rationality out the window and the scariest thing is that's what excited her most because most guys were too afraid of her to try and take control.

She scanned the room quickly checking she hadn't left anything she needed before heading out of the room swathed in an expensive designer silver cloak towards the grounds at the back of the castle where the rather vicious wind was blocked by the school and where a full-sized stage had been erected and the entire surrounding area, including dressing rooms and seating, had been surrounded by a Warming Charm which kept the students and teachers not involved and the visiting parents warm throughout the performance.

Appearing backstage Appleby grinned at her fellow performers and gave her friends a quick hug before darting off to take her place in the wings ready to leap on stage in the opening number. The music started up and Appleby briefly heard a round of applause before the teachers and students responsible ushered the dancers on stage in twos, a Ravenclaw seventh year already centre-stage with her voice magically magnified;

"What's the sense in sharing this one and only life  
Ending up, just another lost and lonely wife  
You count up the years, and they will be filled with tears, oooh  
Love only breaks up, to start over again  
You'll get the babies, but you won't have your man  
While he is busy loving every woman that he can, huh huh..."

Appleby grinned at her Transfiguration teacher as she was propelled on stage, the lights, music and general buzz of the stage sending her on a natural high as she twirled, stomped and wriggled across the stage in time to the music magically pounding around the grounds.

* * *

Appleby smirked at Matthew as they prepared for their duet, he was dressed in a loose white shirt tucked into black cords and shining black shoes and cufflinks glittered in the harsh stage lights. Her dress this time was a black sparkly halter-necked number that fell just short above her knees and trailed down to the floor at the back, her bared legs shining in their flesh-coloured tights. Waving she watched him dart to the other side of the stage as the curtains briefly closed after the other dancers as their duet music started. Wandering apparently carelessly onto the stage she curtseyed at a waiting Matthew and the crowd laughed before he opened his mouth to deliver the opening lines;

"At words poetic, I'm so pathetic  
That I always have found it best,  
Instead of getting 'em off my chest,  
To let 'em rest unexpressed.  
I hate parading my serenading  
As I'll probably miss a bar,  
But if this ditty is not so pretty,  
At least it'll tell you how great you are"

The pair of them standing at a different side of the stage before joining to dance in the centre had the crowd roaring their encouragement which Appleby wasn't entirely sure was all for their enjoyment; she had a feeling her fellow seventh year and Gryffindor cousin, Viridian Weasley, had been sneaking alcohol from Hogsmeade again for the first years.

"You're the top! You're the Colosseum,

You're the top! You're the Louvre Museum,  
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss,  
You're a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeart sonnet,  
You're Mickey Mouse.  
You're the Nile, You're the Tow'r of Pisa,  
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa.  
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom

You're the top!"

She spun around away from Matthew towards the right hand side of the stage to deliver her verse as he circled her while dancing making the crowd laugh.  
  
"Your words poetic are not pathetic  
On the other hand, boy, you shine  
And I can feel after every line  
A thrill divine down my spine.  
Now gifted humans like Vincent Youmans  
Might think that your song is bad,  
But for a person who's just rehearsin'  
Well I gotta say this my lad:"

Joining again to do the rest of the song which was just variations of the chorus Appleby glimpsed her parents sitting proudly in the front row and she grinned, carefully returning to her performance.

"You're the top! You're Mahatma Ghandi.  
You're the top! You're Napolean brandy.  
You're the purple light of a summer night in Spain,  
You're the National Gall'ry, You're Garbo's sal'ry,  
You're cellophane.  
You're sublime, You're a turkey dinner.  
You're the time of the Derby winner.  
I'm a toy balloon that is fated soon to pop.  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top!"

The crowd were clapping in time and many we're singing along and laughing as Matthew spun Appleby out at arms reach and then back into his arms to dance around the stage for the next verse;

"You're the top! You're a Ritz hot toddy.  
You're the top! You're a Brewster body.  
You're the boats that glide on the sleepy Zuider Zee,  
You're a Nathan Panning, You're Bishop Manning,  
You're broccoli.  
You're a prize, You're a night at Coney,  
You're the eyes of Irene Bordoni,  
I'm a broken doll, a fol-de-rol, a blop,  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top.

You're the top! You're an Arrow collar.  
You're the top! You're a Coolidge dollar.  
You're the nimble tread of the feet of Fred Astaire,  
You're an O'Neill drama, You're Whistler's mama,  
You're Camembert.  
You're a rose, You're Inferno's Dante,  
You're the nost of the great Durante.  
I'm just in the way, as the French would say  
"De trop,"  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top." 

Appleby could briefly glimpse her beaming friends waiting in the wings each time she spun around and she was heartened from their evident pride as the music pounded through her veins.

"You're the top! You're a Waldorf salad.  
You're the top! You're a Berlin ballad.  
You're a baby grand of a lady and a gent.  
You're an old dutch master, You're Mrs. Aster,  
You're Pepsodent.  
You're romance, You're the steppes of Russia,  
You're the pants on a Roxy usher.  
I'm a lazy lout that's just about to stop,  
But if Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top! You're the top! You're a dance in Bali.  
You're the top! You're a hot tamale.  
You're an angel, you simply too, too, too diveen,  
You're a Botticelli, You're Keats, You're Shelley,  
You're Ovaltine.  
You're a boon, You're the dam at Boulder,  
You're the moon over Mae West's shoulder.  
I'm a nominee of the G.O.P. or GOP,  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top! You're the top! You're the Tower of Babel.  
You're the top! You're the Whitney Stable.  
By thje River Rhine, You're a sturdy stein of beer,  
You're a dress from Saks's, You're next year's taxes,'  
You're stratosphere.  
You're my thoist, You're a Drumstick Lipstick,  
You're da foist in da Irish svipstick,  
I'm a frightened frog that can find no log to hop,  
But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,  
You're the top!" 

Finishing with Matthew holding her in the air while they faced the ecstatic crowds, Appleby was gasping for breath by the time she got off stage and was glad it was someone else's turn to sing while she got ready for her next song. She was just putting the finishing touches to her outfit when she caught a few strands of the song being sung on stage and she felt goose bumps ripple over her body as she opened her door to listen closer;

"You don't know how you met me

You don't know why

You can't turn around

And say goodbye

All you know is when I'm with you

I make you free

And swim through your veins

Like a fish in the sea

I'm singing

Follow me

And everything is alright

I'll be the one to tuck you in at night

And if you

Want to leave then I can guarantee

You won't find nobody else like me"

She hadn't imagined it, someone really was singing her all time favourite song and she could only guess who it was since she'd never heard anyone rehearsing it and he'd never gone to any rehearsals; in fact she'd never seen him anywhere in school other than the secret room she had shown him.

* * *

Appleby was facing the audience while a Hufflepuff sixth year looked back from her to the fake fireworks going off above the audience's heads, Matthew was stood on the other side of her half-hidden by a post as the fireworks were silenced for his lines;

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand  
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:  
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand  
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Smiling Appleby detached herself from the Hufflepuff's grip and turned slightly so she could speak into Matthew's ear;

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,  
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;  
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,  
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

Matthew whirled her around the post when the fireworks restarted and she stared at him in fake amazement mixed with amusement.

"Have not saint's lips, and holy palmers too?"

Glancing around the post to check the Hufflepuff was still busy with the fireworks, Appleby pulled Matthew a little further towards the audience;

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

Matthew watched her in amusement and frustration as they moved even closer to the audience;

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;  
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

He moved in to kiss her and Appleby turned her head towards the audience and away from him;

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

He smirked at her and leant in against her, murmuring the words but making sure they reached the entire audience as well;

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.  
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged."

Their lips met in what looked like an impassioned kiss but kept their eyes slightly open unnoticed until they broke apart once more.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

Matthew grinned again as they danced a few steps towards the audience once more while the party silently continued behind them;

"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!  
Give me my sin again."

Their lips met again and Appleby smirked as they pulled away, looking up at him from under her lashes;

"You kiss by the book."

A heavily disguised Gryffindor seventh year bustled over to them and began tugging Appleby away from a severely confused Matthew.

"Madam, your mother craves a word with you."

Appleby looked over at Matthew helplessly for a brief second before nodding and darting into the still dancing crowd. Matthew turned to the Gryffindor who was eyeing him with an odd look on her face;

"What is her mother?"

The Gryffindor looked him and down slightly before straightening her back proudly.

"Marry, bachelor,  
Her mother is the lady of the house,  
And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous  
I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal;  
I tell you, he that can lay hold of her

Shall have the chinks."

Matthew's head snapped up and he stared at the Gryffindor with a slightly opened mouth as his eyes darted from the crowd to her.

"Is she a Capulet?  
O dear account! My life is my foe's debt."

The Gryffindor opened her mouth to say something but a tall Slytherin appeared at his side and started pulling him away, looking more than a little drunk as he wobbled on his feet;

"Away, begone; the sport is at the best."

Allowing himself to be dragged away, Matthew shot a last look around the room for a glimpse of Appleby but she was hidden by the crowds.

"Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest."

The man of the house was ushering his guests away towards the doors as Matthew and the Slytherin left;

"Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;  
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.  
Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all  
I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.  
More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.  
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:  
I'll to my rest."

_Watching Matthew depart Appleby beckoned to the Gryffindor girl and pointed down into the bustling crowd;_

"Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?"

Regarding the boy Appleby was pointing at for a second she turned to her;

"The son and heir of old Tiberio."

Appleby nodded thoughtfully and pointed out someone else;

"What's he that now is going out of door?"

Forcing down an impatient sigh the Gryffindor turned to look at the tall boy Appleby was pointing at.

"Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio."

Appleby finally reached the point she had been making and pulled the Gryffindor towards her, leaning an arm around her shoulder to point at Matthew who was still being forcible dragged out of the room as he searched it for Appleby.

"What's he that follows there, that would not dance?"

The Gryffindor shrugged and glanced back at Appleby who was gazing at him intently as he edged his way through the crowds surging in the opposite direction.

"I know not."

Appleby gave the Gryffindor a nudge towards the staircase, her eyes still fixed on Matthew.

"Go ask his name: if he be married.  
My grave is like to be my wedding bed."

The Gryffindor sighed and headed down the stairs, bustling through the crowd straight to Matthew who paused and stared at her, conversing quickly in a low tone as his friend stared from one to the other. Appleby grabbed the Gryffindor and pulled her behind a pillar when she returned.

**"**His name is Romeo, and a Montague;  
The only son of your great enemy."

Appleby froze and turned to look at Matthew who was finally heading towards the left wing which was acting as the exit.

"My only love sprung from my only hate!  
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!  
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,  
That I must love a loathed enemy."

Glancing up Appleby briefly caught a glimpse of Dante watching them silently in the wings, somehow managing to be alone despite the number of people darting backwards and forwards behind him and she felt a chill wash over her as their eyes met.


	4. Performance Part II

A/N: yeah the usual stuff I only own the plot and unrecognisable characters

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind' by Stevie Nicks

To save confusion I'll give you a list of who their parents are; Appleby – Draco/Ginny, Matt and Shari – Noah/Juno, Gabriella – Harry/Cass, Cecy – Blue/Frankie, Viridian and Crysta – Ron/Hermione, Stevie – Rindy/Xander, Isaac – Mason/Alyssa

If you haven't noticed there is always a ball scene in my stories because I love designing dresses. Anyway thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this chapter, keep reviewing plz peeps! Enjoy =) xx

Chapter Four – Performance Part II

A look a touch  
Just because I wanted them  
To mean so much  
You might not feel the same  
The day would end  
And you'd go back to where you've been  
A kiss for luck  
I wish you could have stayed  
  
Maybe love will change your mind  
Maybe this time  
Maybe love will make it clear  
Oh, what words would keep you here  
Maybe love will reach your heart  
Thought I saw it in the dark  
Maybe love will change your mind  
Maybe this time  
  
You want me to be there  
You take me somewhere  
You show me your lifeline  
Reveal your other side  
I would say but the words won't come  
I just come undone  
All I want to do is to be closer to you

The performance was nearing its end an hour later and all that was left was Appleby's solo which the audience were irritably waiting for. Appleby was just putting the finishing touches to her hair as the last act before her swept backstage euphoric from the applause they had received when she felt someone behind her. She was about to spin around when she felt a hand clamp down on her waist and a strong muscular body pressed against her back.

She knew instantly who it was so her terror was reduced to minimum as she listened to his steady breathing in her ear and the muted noise of the audience in the background. His big slightly cool hands were gripping her through the thin material of her oyster-coloured silk top and skirt.

"Nice performance."

As always when he was around, her breathing increased and her heart hammered against her ribs as his thumbs tickled her waist in slow circles and his breath stirred her hair.

"Are you coming to the party at the Manor afterwards?"

Her voice was breathless and she was having a great deal of difficulty in making rational decisions as his hands continued their caresses.

"I'm not invited."

She could sense the smirk in his voice and it sent thrills through her body as she nodded fervently, edging to the side slightly so she could see their reflection in the mirror.

"You are now."

Trailing his fingertips lightly up her back he stroked her neck with his thumb and placed a kiss at the nape before disappearing once more.

"Appleby, you're on."

Appleby turned to see another girl with a clipboard and an earpiece ushering her out of the room and towards the stage and she nodded vaguely while following her along the corridor. Taking her place behind the curtain in front of the microphone resting in the tall stand she felt a brief flash of nerves which were gone the instant the curtain was pulled up and the music began.

"I don't need you to  
Tell me I'm pretty to make me feel beautiful  
I don't need you to  
Give me your strength to make me feel I'm strong  
I got all of this strength that I need here  
inside my own two hands  
All that I want is your love and respect for who I am  
What I really need  
Comes from deep inside of me."

Licking her lips quickly ready for the chorus, Appleby glimpsed her parents sitting in the front row beaming along with most of her family and she grinned.  
  
"Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty to make me feel beautiful  
Don't need you to make me strong cos I'm strong all on my own  
Doesn't come from outside  
This beauty I know  
Comes from inside my soul  
  
Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty  
  
I don't need you to  
Believe in me to make me know I'm worth believing in  
I don't need you to  
Lift me up high to know I can stand tall  
  
I can stand my own ground  
I can stand proud upon my own two feet  
Don't have to be part of somebody else  
To be complete  
What I really need  
Comes from deep inside of me

Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty to make me feel beautiful  
Don't need you to make me strong cos I'm strong all on my own  
Doesn't come from outside  
This beauty I know  
Comes from inside my soul  
  
Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty  
  
Don't need to come to you  
Because I finally found too...this revelation  
What I really need  
I'm gonna find inside of me   
Not in somebody when you respect yourself  
  
Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty to make me feel beautiful  
Don't need you to make me strong cos I'm strong all on my own  
Doesn't come from outside  
This beauty I know  
Comes from inside my soul  
  
Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty

Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty to make me feel beautiful  
Don't need you to lift me up, I can stand up on my own  
Doesn't come from outside  
This beauty I know  
Comes from inside my soul  
  
Don't need you to tell me I'm pretty to know I'm beautiful."

The last chords of music drifted around the grounds until the audience rose to their feet clapping and cheering and everyone else from backstage swarmed under the lights to bow and clap each other as well. But the one person Appleby was looking for wasn't there; she pasted a smile on her face and darted backstage towards the fire exit where she raced back up to the school on the pretext of getting changed for the party but really to brood on Dante.

Thankfully the room was empty when she got there and she breathed a sigh of relief before kicking her shoes off and darting into the shower to scrub at her hair and sweaty body. Stalking out of the bathroom she nearly screamed when she saw a blurred figure moving about the room and punched Shari on the arm when she grinned at her and flicked her wand at the torches to light the room.

Flicking her own wand at the radio by her bed, Appleby danced across the room in time to the music and pulled open her wardrobe, flipping through her mountains of clothes looking for the dress sent to her from Milan the day before especially for the party tonight. Dropping onto her bed she was busy rubbing wild-strawberry and rose scented body lotion into her long smooth pale legs when Matthew barged into the room with a group of people in tow.

Next to Matthew with their hands intertwined was Cecy in a sheer black dress that just covered all her assets with only a few well-placed rather large embroidered red roses preserving her decency and a huge black fur coat that touched the tips of her short mussed up hair and dropped to the heels of her wedge-heeled black sandals that wound up her leg.

Behind them was Appleby's cousin; Viridian Weasley in a bold blue shirt that turned his big blue eyes to turquoise and emphasised his thick flowing locks the colour of wet bracken against his many freckles and pale skin. His long-term girlfriend, Gabriella Potter, was clutching his arm with her nose stuck in the air as she took in the masses of green silver and black that adorned the room. She couldn't have stood out more in her low-cut clinging scarlet dress that flared out to touch her knees and black knee-high leather boots that matched her long ebony hair flowing down her back.

"Red and black, how tacky. And here I thought you might have finally developed some taste after dating my cousin for years." Appleby snarled at Gabriella as the Gryffindors dropped down onto a spare bed, Viridian and Matthew amicably discussing Quidditch loudly as Cecy flopped onto Appleby's bed besides her friend.

Bouncing along after the seventh years was Viridian's younger sister; Crysta, her best friend Stevie and a Ravenclaw seventh year in black pants and a florescent pink shirt, Isaac. Crysta and Stevie were only first years but were still allowed to go to the party since they were either family or close friends. The whole lot of them had grown up together and were practically family even though they weren't all related, there was a certain amount of animosity between Appleby and Gabriella but besides that they were a family and if anyone picked a fight with one of them it was with all of them.

Crysta was in a baby pink mini-skirt and a matching gypsy top while Stevie was in bright orange dungarees that were looped around her waist instead of fastened and a plain black t-shirt, the effect was rather stunning and Appleby grinned to herself; Stevie's ambition was to become a clothes designer and was well aware of how to make herself look beautiful.

Isaac promptly wandered over to sit with Matthew and Viridian while the two first years dropped onto the floor to continue their girl talk while Appleby headed over to her wardrobe to retrieve her dress from the door. She disappeared into the bathroom to tug it on, examining her appearance critically in the mirror before venturing back into the room.

"That's so gorgeous!" Stevie squealed, jumping to her feet and circling Appleby as she scanned the dress.

It was made of the most expensive silk there was that had been imported from Tokyo over to Milan for the design and fell from two swatches of material at her shoulders down in a V-shape over her breasts to her navel where they were attached to the long skirt that swept along the floor behind her. It was entirely backless except for the material at her shoulders that dropped into thin strips around her shoulders and down her bare sides to her waist, joining the long flowing sleeves with a single slit from the wrist to her shoulders so they fell away from her arms and all in the most beautiful dark amethyst colour.

Her hair was pulled back from her face in two fish-plaits on either side of her face that joined with a silver jewelled clasp leaving the rest to fall down to just past her shoulders in a paper-straight sheet. Around her slender neck was the Malfoy family jewels; an elegant necklace that fell down into two separate V's, studded with diamonds, emeralds and the same rare black jewels as in the signet rings. It was very elaborate but beautiful in its own way and was charmed so the sparkle never faded and it wasn't too heavy for the woman to wear.

"Yeah yeah very nice can we go now?" Viridian whined.

Appleby rolled her eyes and cast a simple make-up charm that outlined her eyes in eyeliner and glossed her lips before sweeping her long silver cloak around her shoulders and slipping her feet into her matching strap-up high heels.

"Yes we can let's get out of here."

The group made their way down the stairs to the Entrance Hall where those members of the audience that were invited to the Malfoy's Christmas party were gathered chattering and embracing. Applause broke out when the group reached the stairs and they grinned, pausing slightly to stare down at everyone and Appleby leaned in towards Matthew to hiss in his ear;

"They're clapping, are we nervous yet?"

Matthew turned his head slightly so he could murmur out of the corner of his mouth;

"No we enjoy it."

He beamed at the crowd even after Appleby jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, her eyes scanning the crowds for Dante. She finally caught sight of him hovering at the back, leaning against the wall in the shadows with one leg raised and his foot resting against the wall, his arms folded and his eyes hidden from her.

Ginny watched her daughter staring at someone at the back of the crowd curiously, her daughter had never brought any of her boyfriends home to meet them on account of Draco's overprotectiveness but she had heard all about them from Matthew and Viridian who were almost as protective as Draco.

She turned to her daughter, nephew, niece and god children as they swarmed down the stairs towards them and grabbed her daughter in a tight hug, kissing her on both cheeks and eyeing her critically. Finally letting her go Appleby moved onto her father who embraced her tightly and kissed her forehead proudly.

After greetings were exchanged the crowd headed for the doors where the horseless carriages were waiting silently for them. Appleby paused with one foot inside the carriage and one on the step attached to it when she felt his presence by her and she spun around to see him somehow managing to get a carriage to himself and settling back against the faded purple cushioning to her right.

"Appleby?"

Jumping she turned to her father who was watching her suspiciously and she smiled before following him into the Malfoy carriage, snuggling against the tinted window and leaning back against the cold black leather seat pumped up for softness as the black torches bearing the Malfoy crest in silver sprang to life.

((Before the performance earlier that day))

"All I'm saying is you could ease up a little bit on her, she is seventeen after all."

Draco looked at Ginny's reflection in the mirror as she crossed the room behind him in her black silk French knickers with matching suspenders and skin-coloured tights. They had been discussing Appleby's strange behaviour, as reported to them by Matthew, Shari and Viridian, for the past hour as they dressed for the Christmas performance at Hogwarts.

"She's hardly been paying attention in class, not that I'm particularly bothered about that."

Ginny shot him a harsh look and he stared boldly back at her, still fastening the buttons on his vivid dark green shirt.

"And she keeps disappearing for hours and returning practically singing. I swear if someone knocks her up I'll kill them."

Ginny smiled to herself at the protectiveness in his voice for his daughter before composing herself and slipping into her pale pink skirt and dark purple bodice, her hair twisted up in a tight bun at the crown of her head still damp from the shower.

"Well I heard from Cecy that he's going to be here tonight, so just make sure you don't do or say anything to embarrass her."

Draco rolled his eyes and returned to wrestling with his diamond cufflinks, his long hair slicked back from his face and his rather tight black velvet pants emphasising his perfectly toned legs and backside. He watched Ginny as she pulled on her ballet type dark purple shoes with ribbons that fastened to half-way up her calf and sprayed some of her favourite perfume into her cleavage and along her neck and wrists. Straightening up she saw him looking at her with a curious expression on his face and she wrinkled her still perfectly smooth white brow.

"What?"

He didn't say anything; instead he moved away from the mirror and scooped her up, depositing her onto the neatly made bed.

"Draco! We don't have time..."

Her protests grew weaker until gradually they faded on her lips when his hands moved across her body to his favourite places.

((Dante's POV))

Sitting silently on a boat at the very back of the crowd, Dante hissed at the sound of the running water and shrank back against the slight roof at the back end of the boat while the odd creature with wrinkled black leathery skin, huge staring white orbs with no pupils as eyes and a ragged black cloak draped across it as a toga leant heavily on a huge black pole topped with the silver serpent of the Malfoys and propelled the boat along behind the hundreds of others.

The long winding river that led from the nearest town to Malfoy Manor was filled with a snaking trail of small four-passenger boats lit with lanterns as the party guests excitedly called out to one another from their boats as they waited to arrive at the Manor.

The journey wasn't particularly long and Dante soon found himself climbing off the boat and following the hustling crowd up the gravely path and through the tall towering gates topped with the large black and silver 'M' up to the equally tall front doors where a hovering butler a head and shoulders taller than every man present was waving the guests through the doors.

Entering a huge room lined with pillars and all elaborately decorated in black silver and green he passed a pair of footmen holding the doors open to the huge ballroom draped with silver and green banners across the ceiling and down the walls. The floor was black marble, polished so well it reflected everything like a mirror but Dante paid no attention to this, he had a mission.

He circled the groups in the crowd silently until he found who he was looking for, Appleby was surrounded by a group of people as always but these seemed to be her family; they had the same basic scent she had and the same characteristics no one but he could notice. Appleby glanced up and caught sight of him watching her; she grinned and beckoned for him to join them, earning him the attention of the entire group.

"Mom, Daddy, this is Dante Curtis."

Dante watched the man who was obviously her father eye him up and down with a completely blank face, although his eyes were slightly narrowed. Gripping his hand tightly the two men glared coolly at each other before a small pale hand on his arm made Appleby's father's face soften and he took a step back.

Appleby's mother took his place, shaking his hand and smiling up at him, her place was quickly taken by a tall red headed man with dozens of freckles on his face and a shock of fiery red hair curling over his temples.

"This is my aunt and uncle; Ron and Hermione Weasley."

Another glare was received from the red haired man before he was replaced with a rather short girl with wild curly brown hair and hectically flushed cheeks who kissed him on both cheeks before moving on. Once he had been introduced to at least half the room which were all her relatives he finally managed to get Appleby on her own and led her into a private corner of the room.

((Draco's POV))

Watching his eldest daughter and the strange boy he had just met retreat into a darkened corner Draco felt a cold chill and he dragged his wife over to the drinks bar, collapsing onto a stool and clicking his fingers at the pretty brunette waitress cleaning glasses.

"A Firewhiskey and a Sex Explosion."

The waitress set about making their drinks, turning around slightly to look at Draco coyly under her lashes;

"Do you vant real blood in dat Sex Explosion?"

"No." Ginny snapped.

Accepting their drinks Ginny turned to Draco with a curious look on her face and took a sip of her drink.

"That Dante boy, does he look familiar to you?"

Stirring the olive around by its cocktail stick in her vivid fluorescent orange drink Ginny watched her husband keeping a firm eye on their daughter still nose to nose with Dante in the opposite corner.

"I suppose... oh alright I did get the feeling I'd met him before."

Ginny conceded when Draco gave her one of his many annoying looks that said he knew exactly what she was thinking no matter what she said.

"So?"

Draco's eyes flickered from his wife's face to his daughter smiling up at Dante in the corner, his big grey eyes narrowing when he took her hand and the pair of them slipped out of one of the many secret passageways Malfoy Manor was riddled with.

"So, who does he remind us of?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak before snapping it shut and looking down at the swirling drink in her hand topped by a slight silvery mist. It was very frustrating, she was sure she had seen his dark pooling eyes and feathery-fine black hair somewhere before and it niggled at the back of her mind.

Appleby laughed and ran after Dante, her heels clicking on the marble floors as they skidded along them hoping no one was following them. They finally slid to a halt outside a tall green door and Appleby dropped her hand onto the doorknob which glowed brightly before clicking and twisting around in her hand. She swung the door open and pulled Dante into the room by their still entwined hands and locked the door behind them. When she turned back around Dante was wandering around the room, which was her father's study, staring at the pictures on the wall.

She pulled herself up onto her father's large oval mahogany desk and watched him silently, the moonlight filtering through the window and cutting her face in half as she studied him moving around the room. He paused before a huge painting of a battle that looked like it had taken place in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

In its centre was a pair of girls, one with a sheet of black hair and the other with a halo of fiery waves, their swords were lunging at each other and the crowds were various demons and students all fighting. Appleby had wondered about that picture but had sensed it was a sore subject with her parents so had never asked; right now she was curious as to why Dante was so fascinated by it.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you it's rude to stare?"

She jumped and fought the urge to blush when he turned steadily around to look at her, his face completely blank but his eyes burning with something she couldn't identify as he took a step towards her. She lowered her eyes from his for a second before looking back up a split-second later to find him standing over her, slowly bending down and placing a hand flat on the desk on each side of her so his face was inches from her.

Her heart was racing as her eyes swept over the cool panes of his face, the smooth curve of his cheekbones and the huge pools of darkness framed by thick curling lashes shadowed by the window frame blocking the moonlight as he moved in closer to her.

He could hear her heart beating like a drum roll beneath her ribs and the smell of her excitement overwhelmed him like a drug as he felt her hands, almost imperceptibly and he was sure she wasn't aware she was doing it, creep up his arms to his neck to tangle in the feathery strands of his hair at the nape of his neck too fine to tangle.

It seemed to her like an achingly long time until his lips finally met hers sending sparks down into her stomach and chills racing up her spine as she curled her toes, still dangling over the edge of the tall desk, at the desire coursing through her. Feeling a fervent need for more igniting inside her she leant into him, his hands moving to her hips and pulling her towards him by them until she was lying on the cool surface of the desk and he leant over her. His tongue flickered over burning lips and she gasped, letting him take advantage of it when he slipped his tongue into the moist velvety cavern of her mouth as her hands ran over his shoulders and neck, kneading and massaging as she brought her legs around his waist, locking her feet together at the small of his back as his hands crept under her dress.

Her small moaning noises vibrating against his lips and the feverish raggedness of her breathing as his experienced hands moved over her flesh were intoxicating as the scent of her raw wild lust filled his senses and clouded his mind.

"Appleby, what in hell do you think you're doing?!"

Appleby uttered a little scream as Dante jerked back and turned to the door with a snarl, two figures were framed in the doorway by the light pouring in from the torches lining the walls behind them.

"Do you really need details?"

Appleby looked thoroughly unruffled after the initial surprise of being interrupted as she smoothed down her hair and yanked her dress straight as she sat up slowly before slipping off the edge of the desk and surveying her parents in the doorway. Her father looked about ready to rip Dante's head off; his eyes were practically black and throwing off sparks as he quivered in the doorway with every muscle coiled under his skin like a tiger about to pounce. Only her mother physically restraining him from doing so was keeping Dante alive, in fact her mother looked more amused than anything else as she watched Appleby edge ever so slightly towards Dante to protect him from her parents.

Ginny was about to reply when what seemed to be Appleby's entire family barged down the corridor and into the room, the men sliding to a stop halfway in and glaring from one to the other and the girls hiding their giggles as they watched the men. Viridian, Matt and Isaac were being firmly held onto by Cecy, Shari and Gabriella as the younger group pounded in through the back stairs followed by a tall young woman with short spiky layered white-blonde hair with electric blue tips and a skin-tight black body-stocking and the smallest possible red wrap-over skirt with knee-high black leather boots.

Her grey eyes sparkled wickedly as she sauntered across the room, pausing to kiss Draco on the cheek before winking at Appleby as she eyed Dante up and down;

"Not a bad choice, babe."

Appleby laughed and embraced her Aunt who was clutching a pint in one hand as they kissed cheeks Appleby once again noticed the similarities between the two of them people always raved about.

"So how is teaching Potions, Aunt Bella?"

Belladonna rolled her eyes and linked Appleby as they headed for the door, Appleby's other hand once more entwined with Dante's. They were almost to the door when Appleby saw her mother looking about to faint as she clung onto Draco, her eyes darting from Dante to something on the wall behind them.

AmericanGirl = thanks very much! Not many people like stories that don't feature many of the proper characters so it means a lot

valentines-hater = its probably about 2018 or something. I agree they would be cute but alas it is not to be, because I don't want it to be =D

short arse = well telling you if you were right or not will spoil everything but most will be revealed next chapter

Chantal J = thanks muchly, I'm trying to make my characters interesting, do you think I've succeeded?

Kazte = I'm trying to make more twists into it but the ending was pretty much explained in the first one and it's a really straightforward plot for this one lol. Draco's sister, Belladonna, will be in it more from now on because she's one of my favourite characters =)

AnitaBlake/BuffyFan = aren't most evil guys the hottest? They are for me anyway lol. Have no fear his plans shall be revealed all in due time. Sorry about the spelling mistakes my beta's computer is messed up atm =) is this enough interaction for the time being?

Kneh13 = hey doll! Thanks loads for the review n when are ya gonna update yours?!

TarynMalfoy88 = I would like to tell you if you were correct but that would spoil it for others so you shall just have to wait and see although it is very obvious anyway =)

xBrOkEnBOtTle = dante's part shall be revealed very soon, thanks for reading and even more for reviewing!

Gjess86 = thank you very much and I'm glad you like it, Matt and Shari's parents are Noah and Juno and I would like to answer your other questions but that would ruin it for anyone who hasn't figured it out yet =)

Alicandra Black = well I'm glad someone picked up on the creepiness finally! He was meant to be this hot unnerving kind of guy =) I have a thing for different names, I don't really like using the common ones for some reason, no offence to anyone


	5. Goodnight Kiss

**A/N**: only own what is unrecognisable from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Betrayal' by Eschaton

Quote from Romeo and Juliet obviously

I know it's pretty boring but it was necessary, there will be D/G action soon honestly. R&R plz ppl cheers xx

**Chapter Five - Goodnight Kiss**

Torture of my crippled soul  
Is the result  
Of your spiteful words  
Re-open, festering wounds  
  
Betrayal

Betrayal  
  
I cannot believe,  
The lengths to which you go to deceive  
Carrying the marks,  
Of those you have scarred  
  
Treachery is your game  
You think you have something to gain  
You cannot allow,  
Those who get close to hurt you somehow

Appleby stared at her parents with huge eyes that were blank and opaque grey as she watched her mother's hand creep up to join her father's resting on her shoulder as he stood behind the high-backed chair his wife was perched in. She turned dazedly to stare at a priceless vase resting on a tall spindly-legged table by the door, her hands twisted in her lap as their words washed over her until the long heavy silence was shattered by the vase exploding under her furious heart-broken gaze.

Turning back to her parents, Appleby got slowly and unsteadily to her feet, nodding to her parents politely and muttering about being tired she fled the room, racing past the hovering relatives staying over for the night who were grouped in the hallway and all of whom stared after her with pity in their eyes.

She streaked through the kitchen, where the magical chefs hired to feed the party were wearily cleaning up the last of the plates and cutlery, she raced down the sweeping lawns at the back of the house that were patch-worked with yellow squares of light from the house and she didn't stop until she reached the edge of the lake where she fell against the old oak tree supporting a creaking rope swing and clung onto it's trunk.

She was still staring out over the moonlit lake when she remembered the place she had escaped to when she was little and her Grandmother Narcissa had been all over her pinching her cheeks. Slowly she got up from her knees, hardly noticing the dew from the grass that had soaked her dress up to her thighs, as she made her way towards the rose garden right before the entrance to the maze.

Her heart was in such a state she was soon seeing terrifying shadows around every corner and she broke into a run, bashing against the walls of the maze and hardly realising the thorns were biting into her skin and drawing blood. She reached the stables soon after and breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she darted into her horse's box and gently reached out to stroke the silver-grey mane.

Perdita shook out her mane and rolled gracefully to her feet, the slivers of moonlight penetrating the slatted window outside her box dripping onto her dappled white coat and reflected the light making her seem to shimmer. Appleby had chosen her name as Perdita because it meant The Lost One and when she had been a foal she had contracted a rare disease passed on from unicorns that had been supposed to kill her within days, but miraculously she had lived and had never forgotten Appleby's constant soothing words and caressing hands that had calmed her. Winged horses were harder than dragons to tame and almost as rare to come across one being kept as a pet, but for some reason Perdita obeyed Appleby and to a certain extent the stable girl who looked after her while her mistress was at Hogwarts.

Slipping off her shoes Appleby tossed them carelessly into a corner as she ran her hands over Perdita's back and legs checking for bumps and swellings before she saddled her and slipped the bridle over her pure white face with her nose a darker grey so she looked as if she had dipped her nose in a bucket of paint. Although she pawed the ground uneasily, Perdita held still as Appleby prepared her for the ride before jumping onto her back as gracefully as a dancer and tugging her dress up her bare legs to her thighs where it pooled in the saddle as she stretched her legs down to the stirrups and adjusted the dark grey reins made of expensive leather specially imported from a small island that dealt only in magical creature equipment.

Nudging Perdita forward Appleby took a last look back at the house before heading in the opposite direction, aware her family would be looking for her soon but unable to bring herself to go back and face them all just yet. Perdita realised Appleby didn't want her to fly and she tucked her wings into her body with a moody snort and ruffled her body under Appleby who cuffed her affectionately on the nose and urged her into a gallop.

Appleby lost track of time as they galloped over the surrounding countryside, she felt wonderfully free with her hair bannering out behind her and her dress billowing around her slender body as the chill night air crept through the rips in her dress, froze her legs still wet from her damp dress and stung her eyes but she didn't stop once.

Slowing Perdita down as they neared the cliff edge where she had spent most of her childhood she slipped off her and tethered her loosely to the tree by the edge and loosened her saddle and bridle so she could graze. Kissing her on her shiny white forehead, Appleby gripped the tree and pulled herself up onto the nearest branch, climbing up and along until she was on the curving branch the shape of a U that stretched out over the cliff edge. Seating herself down on the bottom of the U she gazed out across the sea, shot through with silver from the moon that was sure to be setting soon.

She was identifying increasingly with Juliet as she ran the night's events over in her head; after her mother nearly collapsed in her father's study the guests that weren't family were herded back into the ballroom while a family conference took place. Somewhere along the way Dante had slipped out and eventually the only people left in the room were her parents and herself.

"..._'Tis but thy name that is my enemy_..."

Her soft whisper was wrestled away from her by the wind as she ran over the speech her parents had given her about the final battle at Hogwarts all those years ago before she had even been born. How could Dante be her enemy's son? Of all things to happen and people to fall for she chose him, well technically he chose for her. But did he just use her to get to her parents, her parents that killed his... oh god! Every time she thought of her parents killing people, even if they weren't human, it made her feel sick despite the fact she knew she would have to do it eventually and had been training for it for years. The fact that it was her so called destiny did not make her feel any better about doing it.

**_((Dante's POV))_**

Watching from his perch on the protruding stone hood attached to the house above the back door, Dante smelt her now familiar scent long before she burst through the door and tore across the lawns. His piercing eyes flashed as he focused in on her and he followed her progress down to the lake where she collapsed against the tree on its banks, she did not do as he expected however as not a single tear was shed as she knelt down on the floor and stared out over the lake. Eventually she rose to her feet again and took off through the rose garden and into the maze where he lost sight of her, cursing he followed using his twitching nose still stinging with the remainders of her aroused scent from earlier.

Tracking her through the twisting thorny tunnels he could sense her fear now rippling around inside her as she cannoned off wall after wall as she raced through the maze, emerging gratefully onto the other side. Following her to the stables he slipped up the wall and watched carefully from the rafters as she awakened her winged horse and prepared her for a ride.

He was exhausted by the time they reached the cliff edge and vowed to never chase after a winged horse ever again as he irritably settled himself down to watch and listen to Appleby as she dropped onto a dangerous looking branch that extended over the cliff-edge above the sea. He could smell her confusion mixed with betrayal and he was disgusted to find himself feeling ashamed for setting out to lead her on in the first place. He had wanted to reduce her to grovelling submission, before he prevented the prophecy by taking her life, and now he had practically done it he felt thoroughly ashamed and revolted with himself.

"..._'Tis but thy name that is my enemy_..."

Despite the fact that she barely whispered it, he heard her sigh the words and felt an unhappy twist in his gut. He didn't know why he couldn't just leave her to her misery, he just couldn't find it in himself to leave her alone but he was unwilling to reveal himself to her either. He would never admit it but he was terribly confused, he knew they were enemies and he felt desperately guilty about wanting her so much no matter how hard he tried not to.

He gave a sigh and nearly fell over when she jerked her head in his direction, somehow having heard him. Slowly she edged her way back across the branch and onto the grass, not even having the energy to get to her feet as she crawled towards him in her ripped and still soaking dress.

"Why? Why did you have to come into my life? Did you get a kick out of it or something?"

Her voice began as hard and accusing but it broke half-way through and she snapped her mouth closed as her bottom lip began to tremble. She hadn't cried since she was a child; she hadn't really had a reason to, it took a lot to make her cry but she was close to breaking down right now.

His silence prompted her anger to rise and she raised her head to look at him, wincing when he wasn't even looking at her but staring out over the sea. Rage taking over she launched herself at him, beating her fists furiously against his taut muscular chest and face, screaming insults he'd never heard as she nearly knocked the pair of them over in her anger-fuelled passion. Eventually his arms drifted around her, holding her against the slight warmth of his surprisingly cool body until her punches stopped and her arms shot around his neck for support. Her words dissolved into sobs as he ran a hand through her damp hair, his face completely blank as her tears soaked his shirt.

* * *

It was a while before he realised she had fallen asleep against him, exhausted from the day's events and her frantic outburst, and he lifted her up with a feather light touch so as not to wake her. Walking up to Perdita he stared the horse in the eye for a few seconds without blinking before climbing onto her back with Appleby cradled against him as she took off, her huge wings rippling through the air as they sailed back towards the Manor.

The house was in complete darkness when they landed and Dante flicked a glance around quickly before leaping onto the porch roof and sliding up the drainpipe towards the room he knew to be Appleby's by the intoxicating scent of her drifting out through the slightly open window. Pushing the window fully open he threw a leg over the window sill and clambered in noiselessly, freezing when Appleby stirred but returning to crossing the room when she was only rearranging herself in his arms.

He dropped her lightly onto the bed and was turning around to leave when she shivered slightly and he cursed what little remained of his humanity as he gently removed her ripped and still damp dress and dug around in a nearby drawer. Finally pulling out an old Flying Falcon's t-shirt that fell to halfway down her thighs he gently tugged it over her head and manoeuvred her arms into it, somehow without waking her.

Pulling the covers up to her chin he took a step back and gazed blankly at her for a moment, the waning moonlight turning her white-blonde hair to pure strands of mercury silver and washing her face into a soft silver amidst her masses of hair. Her lips were curved slightly at the edges as she dreamed and her long lashes curled up from her cheeks casting tiny individual shadows on her skin like small thin pen strokes. He couldn't resist himself, he just had to; he leant down and kissed her very gently on the lips for what could be the last time.

Her hands were clutching the black satin sheets convulsively as she wriggled around slightly under her covers and frowned for a second when he leaned back away from her. Sighing inaudibly Dante was turning to leave the room when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and his nose began twitching. He flexed his fingers held limply at his side as his eyes scanned the darkened room for the person also in there; this was proving difficult as the black painted walls were camouflage for a shadow. His eyes shifted down to the floor where the snowy white carpet was patch-worked with the shadows cast by the furniture around the room, he finally detected the extra shadow in the corner by the window and he was coiling himself up for the pounce when the shadow detached itself.

**_((Draco's POV))_**

Snapping his eyes open from his doze he was on his feet within seconds when he heard the unmistakable sound of the window being opened. He shrank back against the wall and watched as a shadow glided in, heading towards the bed where a flash of silver hair being deposited gently made him bite his tongue to keep from growling at the intruder.

He was about to step forward when the boy removed his daughter's dress and thoughtfully slipped an oversized t-shirt over her head, wrapping her up in the covers and watching her silently for a few moments. Turning to leave the boy suddenly froze and began to stare slowly around the room, Draco's eyes fluttered down only to widen with shock when he caught sight of the floor where the boy stood; there was no shadow cast by him at all.

Taking a deep breath he took a step forward and the boy's eyes widened before narrowing again, every part of him was ready for defensive if Draco tried anything but he had no desire to start a fight. He merely watched the boy watching him until Appleby made a slight noise in her sleep and turned over; the boy glanced at her and back at Draco before disappearing in a cloud of black mist.

* * *

Appleby didn't stir until noon the next day when she sat up slowly and stretched, delighting in seeing the familiar black walls of her room covered in posters of all sorts of bands, Muggle and Wizard ones. Running a hand through her hair which was terribly knotted and tangled and she swung her legs over the side of the bed and got unsteadily to her feet, padding across the soft white carpet to the back of her door where her green bath-robe hung waiting for her.

After showering she wrapped her hair in a towel and wandered back into her room clad only in the small blue towel she had used to dry herself. She was too tired to bother tarting up too much so she tugged on a pair of short denim cut-offs and a black vest top that had been her mother's with 'Hogwarts Academy' across the front in faded white letters. She wriggled her feet into a pair of old black converse boots and muttered a few words at her wand, waving it over her head she bent over and dried her hair upside down before touching up the top and ruffling it around her shoulders.

She added a little eyeliner and mascara before heading downstairs into the kitchen where her parents and her aunts and uncles plus Harry and Cass who were almost family anyway, were all discussing something heatedly. The conversation paused when she entered the room but she paid no heed to it; she tossed her hair over her shoulder, shoved her nose in the air and stalked across to the refrigerator to grab a carton of orange juice.

The room was still watching her when she retrieved a glass from the cupboard above her head and tipped some juice into it, grabbing a sandwich from the stack in the centre of the scrubbed kitchen table on the way out she headed towards the drawing room where she knew she'd find her cousins and friends.

As she had expected there they all were, Matt and Cecy glued together on one of the big green leather armchairs, Shari and Gabriella were giggling on the couch as they gave Viridian and Isaac, sat between their legs on the floor, makeovers while the two boys muttered vaguely about trying out some Quidditch later and guzzling down coffee like it was water as they fought their hangovers.

Crysta and Stevie were gossiping animatedly to Belladonna as they rolling tennis balls against the opposite wall and summoning them with their wands as the two Rottweiler puppies of the household bounced around trying to catch them. Appleby paused in the doorway slightly watching them all as they flashed grins and greetings at her, kissing everyone on both cheeks as she made her way across the room Appleby collapsed onto the floor outside the window, propping herself up by her hands splayed out behind her as she crossed her legs at the ankles, about to say something when two figures barged into the room; a small girl with a head of fiery red curls and huge slate-grey eyes with sparkling brown flecks darted across the room squealing and threw herself onto Appleby.

Sitting up gingerly with stinging elbows Appleby grinned as her younger sister snuggled onto her lap with her head nestled against her chest as she stuck her thumb in her mouth. Grinning at Rory, Ron and Hermione's youngest seven year old son, Appleby beckoned him over and he blushed at being singled out; he was awed by the older members of the family and edged from group to group with Thaila who had all of her older sister's confidence and more.

"So, come on we want the gossip. We know the rubbish the parents tried to fob us off with but we wanna know what really happened."

Appleby sighed and let herself fall back so her hair splayed out behind her head, Thaila still laying across her sucking her thumb and watching the room staring intently at Appleby.

"What is it you want to know exactly?"

Everyone looked at each other but it was Shari who spoke first;

"Who is he?"

Appleby took a deep breath and turned to stare out of the window at the coldly shining winter sun reflecting off the glass.

"His name is Dante Curtis..."

Crysta interrupted already as she absentmindedly stroked one of the puppies in her lap;

"Is that who you thought he was?"

Appleby heaved a heavy sigh again and returned her gaze back to the horizon.

"No that's who he is, he never denied who he was he just never mentioned it. He's also Kendra's son which is why mom and daddy totally freaked when they saw us together."

There was silence in the room as Matt and Shari exchanged a look before turning back to Appleby who was studiously avoiding their glances.

"Are you going to see him again?"

The room froze until everyone turned to look at Thaila as one who was sitting up and staring at Appleby with huge innocent eyes, unaware of the effect the simple words had just had on the room.

"I don't know."

Appleby finally spoke and was ashamed at the desolation rising in her heart at the thought of never seeing him again. She thought back to the night before and smiled slightly as she remembered his lips on hers, his hands creeping into her dress and his silken hair caressing her cheeks as their eyelashes entangled themselves. Her brow creased slightly when she remembered him holding her as she cried by the cliff, his hands smoothing through her hair although he didn't speak a word the entire time.

Frowning she vaguely remembered him kissing her after he had brought her home but she couldn't figure out whether she had dreamed it or imagined it or if it had actually happened. Her thoughts were shattered when an arm swooped in through the open door and deposited a note in her lap, the puppies immediately let out a volley of barks and starting diving at the owl which bit one of them sharply on the nose and swooped out again.

Unravelling the parchment Appleby glanced at it before sitting bang upright and depositing Thaila gently onto the floor and rereading the note.

_Appleby_

_Meet me at Hogsmeade on the first day back at Hogwarts._

_Dante_

"What does it say?"

Appleby scrunched the note up and shoved it into her back pocket before anyone could see it.

"Just a reminder from Dylan about bringing her curling tongs back to school."

Matt raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything else as chatter slowly filled the room again and Appleby returned to gazing out of the window.


	6. Guilty

A/N: only own the plot and characters unrecognised from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Memory' by Sugarcult

Updates are going to be in short supply because I've just started college. I know it's a short chapter but I just needed to get this bit out of the way. Thanks for the reviews ppl keep reviewing plz! )

Chapter Six - Guilt

This may never start  
We could fall apart  
And I'd be your memory  
Lost your sense of fear  
Feelings insincere  
Can I be your memory?  
  
So get back, back, back to where we lasted  
Just like I imagine  
I could never feel this way  
So get back, back, back to the disaster  
My heart's beating faster  
Holding on to feel the same  
  
This may never start  
I'll tear us apart  
Cannot be your enemy  
Losing half a year  
Waiting for you here  
I'd be your anything

Draco's eyes were open in an instant and he lay there silently for a few moments not moving, just savouring the feel of the rich silk sheets against his bare flesh and his beautiful wife sleeping peacefully besides him, her face flushed against the frame of her gorgeous red mane spread out across the pillow.

Her eyes flickered open slowly and a smile tugged at her lips as she found him watching her, his hair falling into his eyes in strands too fine to tangle and the early morning sunlight only enhancing the flawless structure of his face.

"Hi."

Her voice was soft but there was no need, there were Silencing Charms on every bedroom of the house as standard in a wizarding house.

"Merry Christmas."

She broke into a genuine smile and excitement age could never dim lit in her eyes as she remembered what day it was and she shuddered with excitement. Her eyes flashed and his darkened, his lips meeting hers in a sudden lust-filled frenzy as he pulled her gently on top of him.

Christmas morning was a slow and sleepy awakening for Appleby as she rubbed her eyes and stretched like a cat under the covers, the unusual sparkling on the black walls confirming her suspicions of snow. She was about to turn over when she felt something move under sheet next to her and she ripped back the quilt to reveal Thaila curled up in a ball with her thumb shoved in her mouth as she slept and her blood-red curls spilling over the pillows. Prodding Thaila gently in the ribs, Appleby climbed out of bed and padded barefoot over to her dressing table. She pulled her hair back in a plait and scrubbed her face and teeth quickly before grabbing Thaila and heading down stairs.

"Morning!"

Appleby kissed every person she passed on the cheek and slumped down before the fireplace where a fire was roaring already and keeping a tight hold of Thaila who was eyeing the presents under the tree greedily. Matthew was clad only his boxers when he dropped down opposite her on the floor and poked her shoulder, childish behaviour was a vital part of Christmas day at Malfoy Manor these days, causing a furious poking fight that lasted until the front door banged open.

"Cooeee! Only us!"

Appleby's eyes met Matthew's despairingly at the sound of the voice screeching through the room and the pair of them slammed back against the floor simultaneously as a curvaceous woman drowning in a floor-length mink cloak.

"Ring up Animal Rights at once!" Appleby snarled, glaring at the woman as she shrugged out of the cloak and threw it at Eddie the ancient butler.

Wriggling into the room with her hips swinging wildly from side to side as she walked she bypassed Ginny completely but planted a kiss on Draco's mouth, smearing lipstick all over him as she sank to her knees besides him on the floor. Furiously wiping off bright crimson lipstick, Draco immediately got to his feet and crossed the room to sit besides his wife.

"Who's that?"

Appleby turned to her Uncle Charlie's latest girlfriend, a tall brunette with huge blue eyes who was nervously sat in an armchair behind Appleby and eyeing everyone warily. Realising this must be her first time spending Christmas here Appleby grinned at her;

"Pansy Parkinson's daughter; Daysee."

The girl frowned and turned to look at the heavily made up blonde already leaning over Draco towards a glass of hot chocolate being handed around and pressing her large bosom against him as he scowled at her.

"Amber O'Linear."

Appleby grinned and shook the brunette's extended hand before introducing herself and Matthew who was busy chasing the marshmallows in his cup around with his tongue. Looking up Appleby snorted into her hot chocolate as she watched Daysee; she had always thought big breasts looked wrong, not that she wasn't well off in that area she just didn't see the attraction really, but looking at Daysee she was definitely sure; hers were positively frightening!

Walking on her knees over to the huge tree Appleby rummaged through the presents and dug out one for everyone, chucking the brightly wrapped parcels towards their owners and settling down happily to open her own.

Halfway through opening a gift Appleby glanced up to see Daysee still chattering about some rubbish, she always seemed to run into complete bitches and never stopped boring them to death about the latest ones.

"Daysee do us all a favour."

Daysee paused and turned away from Charlie who was staring at the wall above her head with glazed over eyes.

"Shut the fuck up."

Daysee flushed and glared at Appleby who smiled sweetly at her before returning to rooting through the presents under the tree for some more.

Pulling out a box-set of the murder-mysteries she had been engrossed in at Hogwarts for the past year Appleby grinned and hugged Matthew before carefully putting them to one side and accepting the gift Belladonna was handing to her. She squealed and gave her Aunt a hug when she encountered an entire CD collection of Sugarcult who were her ultimate Gods.

"Err thanks, Daysee."

Appleby accepted the parcel Daysee was waving at her and tugged on the vibrant yellow bow so a box of tacky plastic flower-shaped earrings in all kinds of vulgar colours fell into her lap. Raising an eyebrow Appleby shoved them to one side and went back to her gifts.

A new broomstick, three new pairs of designer shoes, a voucher for three people to spend the day at the Health Spa at Hogsmeade, numerous items of clothing, writing sets and various other random gifts later Appleby was moodily prodding the paper scattered around her about.

"Appleby, is something wrong?"

Appleby shook her head and waved her wand dolefully at the paper so it disappeared, glancing over at Matthew who was engrossed in his new board game of 'Harry Potter Vs You Know Who' with Rory who was wearing his new cowboy hat with matching holster and spurs over his pyjamas.

"You missed our present."

Appleby jerked her head up as her father tossed her a shining silver envelope with a tiny black bow. Ripping open the paper she screamed in delight and leapt to her feet, running over to hug and kiss her parents before drawing back and jumping up and down with her present held over her head.

"YES OH YEAH! Thank you so much daddy I love the gift you're the best parents a girl could ever have ever! I can't believe you bought me four tickets! I absolutely love you both!"

Doing a funny cheerleading sort of dance as she shrieked Appleby kissed her parents once more before racing up the stairs whooping all the way.

"NO! Carrie should not end up with Big, he's old and ugly and yuck! She should have stayed with bloody Aidan like any normal person would have!" Appleby bawled at her television, throwing a pillow at it as the credits rolled up.

"My Christ, you did not just sit there and watch 'Sex and the City' for the past twelve hours, you sad person."

Appleby shot a dirty look at Matthew who was now slouching in her doorway with his arms folded and one eyebrow raised. He had finally gotten dressed and was wearing a pair of loose grey jeans and a large sloppy traditional Weasley jumper in a dark toffee colour with a large orange 'M' across the front.

"I damn well did and it's not sad, that ending was bloody wrong! And before you say anything I know she's going to end up with him I watched it on T.V."

Matthew rolled his eyes and ducked as she tossed a large black pillow at him before swaggering into her room and flopping onto her bed.

"Are you planning on getting ready some time today? We have this stupid formal dinner to go to in an hour."

Appleby groaned and get slowly to her feet, taking as much time as possible with getting ready as though hoping she might not have to do it if she took a long time. Eventually she was clad in a floaty midnight-blue skirt that fell in a diagonal cut from just past her hip to nearly her knees, a tight dark silver corset top with off the shoulder sleeves that fell to her elbows and her hair twisted up into an elegant twist behind her head and secured with a silver dragonfly clip.

Heading over to her door she paused by the window and turned to stare, she was positive she had just seen someone stood out on the grounds watching the house. Her eyes swept over the velvet smooth lawns but there was no one there.

"You ready?"

Matthew was looking at her curiously as he spoke and she tore her eyes away reluctantly and nodded, forcing a smile and heading over to the door with a last glance over her shoulder.

-------

Appleby tapped her long silver fingernails against the plastic tabletop and jiggled her legs nervously as she took sips of her Sprite and glanced at the door. She had already chewed off all her lipgloss and was busy twisting her straw round in her cup making the ice clash together when the door opened and he was by her side. Jumping to her feet she knocked her drink over and only Dante's lightening reflexes stopped it from drenching both of them and the floor.

After she had hugged him and kissed him fiercely numerous times he finally managed to sit her down at the table once again.

"Why did you want to meet here? I thought you said Hogsmeade."

Dante nodded and shot a furtive glance around the room packed with Muggles all jostling for seats and chattering loudly about some rubbish or other.

"I did, but are we likely to find one of your father's lapdogs in here?"

Appleby had to agree with that one and went back to fiddling with the plastic lid of her cup, suddenly shy as she stared fixedly at the tabletop and ignored the group of Muggle boys eyeing her curiously from the next table.

"What did you want to see me for?"

Now he was here she was feeling thoroughly ashamed of herself for still wanting him so badly now she knew he was her enemy, her sudden loss of control when he had first gotten there was not something she could have explained away although she was trying her damned hardest in her head at the moment.

"I assume you're parents told you about my mother."

Her eyes were still fixed on the table so she easily caught sight of his hands gripping the edges as he spoke before easing slightly. Unable to bring herself to mention her parents to him she nodded and swallowed harshly, bringing her cup to her mouth to give her something to do.

"Well, what do you think?"

She jerked her head up and stared at him, his dark eyes pure black as he watched her, his face expressionless as he impatiently pushed strands of his hair out of his face where they had escaped the velvet ribbon holding it back.

"It doesn't really matter what I think, I can't take it back, and I can't change what happened in your past before I was even born."

Her words came out harsher than she had intended but he didn't seem to notice, somehow his hand had met hers on the cup and their fingers intertwined, the rings on both their fingers glinting brightly under the fluorescent lighting as though to remind them they should feel guilty.

------

Chantal J : thanks very much! I was trying to show that Appleby is part her father part her mother but still entirely herself, cant work out if it worked yet but oh well thanks for reviewing! I was trying to make Dante dark and intriguing lol I love designer dresses so thanks a lot for commenting on the designs! Perdita was just going to be a horse but I decided to make it more interesting ) Draco did indeed see Dante kiss Appleby goodnight which is why he didn't beat the hell out of him right there. Dante is dark but he's starved for affection because his parents died when he was young so he only really shows he's vulnerable around Appleby which is another reason he's hooked on her  
  
Alicandra Black : yeah it was pretty crap at the beginning but there were certain events that had to take place before Dante's identity could be fully revealed. Thanks for the review

short arse : I didn't say Perdita was a unicorn, she is a Pegasus she was just silvery white as well. Thanks for the review

AmericanGirl1114 : well they didn't ban her but they would have if they'd found out so you were half right on that one ) cheers for reviewing. Since when did a Malfoy ever care what anyone thought? And Appleby is a teenager with Ginny's stubborn streak so she definitely will do what she wants no matter what.

Rumona07 : I didn't mean to give you an addiction lol the other children are in it but not much really because its mostly about Appleby and Dante. Thanks for reviewin!

AnitaBlake/BuffyFan : thanks very much for that ) nice to know its all appreciated. I'll post as fast as I can but I'm in college for most of the day for most of the week so it may take longer

valentines-hater : Dante is complicated, his lineage shall be revealed eventually but its not specifically important to the plot besides Kendra being his mother, cheers for the review

Kazte : glad you like it D thanks for the review. Well Draco is described as very hot so I suppose it would make sense that his sister is as well, but that's what imaginations are for in the end isn't it

xBrOkEnBOtTle : the hot ones are always bad because the badness makes them more attractive, works for me anyway. Yes she is indeed his mother, all those clever ones who guessed were right, thanks for the review

mell8 : the updates will be very slow I'm afraid because its only the fourth day of college and I've already had five pieces of homework lol

Scary-As-Hell : it's always funny when its happening to someone else isn't it lol


	7. Love Bites

A/N: as always i own characters not recognised from the books, everything else is mine

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This' By Keith Toby

I know its short but I had a minor case of writer's block plus I have homework for law, English lit, English lang and psychology so I've been really busy lol anyway thanx for all the reviews which are answered at the end as always and plz review )

**Chapter Seven – Love Bites**

They're all watchin' us now  
They think we're falling in love  
They'd never believe we're just friends  
When you kiss me like this  
I think you mean it like that  
If you do baby kiss me again  
Kiss me again

You shouldn't kiss me like this  
Unless you mean it like that  
Cause I'll just close my eyes  
And I won't know where I'm at  
We'll get lost on this dance floor  
Spinnin' around  
And around  
And around  
And around

"OK, now who can tell me what the last ingredient in a Living Draught needs to be?"

Appleby glanced up at Belladonna who was slumped in her chair, her legs propped up on the desk and the chair tipped back on two legs as she waved her wand at the blackboard where the almost completed list of ingredients and method were listed across it in Belladonna's typical Malfoy elegantly pointed scrawl.

Lifting an eyebrow at the dozen boys crowded onto the front row with their heads tipped slightly to the side as they fixed their gaze on her aunt's long smooth brown thighs clearly on show under her pale green short-cut robes. Appleby was positive the reason so many boys took Advanced Potions was because her aunt was the teacher. Belladonna was the single fantasy of practically every male in the school, in her sexy designer robes, knee-high Slytherin socks and wild white-blonde hair with vibrantly coloured tips that occasionally changed when she got bored.

But she was also an excellent teacher who provided an impeccable memory for ingredients and methods with a more patient side to her that encouraged others to ask if they were really stuck with something rather than struggling on their own. Letting her eyes drift over to the list above her aunt's desk Appleby smirked at the hundreds of names crammed onto it in miniscule writing; Belladonna had recently began giving private lessons to those who weren't confident enough to speak out about their problems in class. There had been a stampede as boys barged forwards to sign their name on the list first, only two girls out of the entire year had signed up and only about ten percent of the boys actually needed her help as most were predicted 'Outstanding' in the subject.

Being the only girl in the class Appleby was the only one who had heard the question so she raised her hand lazily into the air, smirking when Belladonna rolled her eyes at the boys and grinned at her niece;

"Appleby?"

"Powdered winghorn."

Belladonna grinned at her briefly before nodding and getting gracefully to her feet to tap her wand on the board where the last ingredient appeared.

"Now, who can tell me what the Living Draught does?"

Her smouldering smirk and gaze prompted every male hand in the room to shoot into the air as she scanned the room, pointing her wand at the year's stammering male version of Hermione Granger who promptly flushed beet-red and bit his tongue hard as he tried to talk.

"Itrevitalisesthedrinkerforuptotwenty-fourhours."

Belladonna beamed and nodded, giving Gryffindor five points and smiling warmly at the boy who lowered his eyes to smile dozily at his clenched hands on the desk.

"Just as Mr Marlow has informed us, the draught will revitalise the drinker for up to twenty-four hours after being taken so really it's just a longer-lasting stronger version of the Pepperup Potion. Now I believe I set you all homework, I assume it has been done."

There was a flurry of movement as everyone dove for their homework and waved it at her hoping to receive a copy of the smile she had just given Carlos Marlow. She waved her wand and the parchment flew out of everyone's hands and onto her desk in a neat pile just as the bell went. As always the class dawdled in leaving the room, every one of them besides Appleby hoping Belladonna would ask them to stay behind as they trooped past her out of the door with seductive grins on each of their faces.

"Appleby?"

Appleby froze causing Carlos Marlow to slam into her, flush flame red again and stammer apologies profusely as he backed against the wall so he wouldn't touch her again.

"That boy you were with at Christmas..."

She'd been waiting for it and had been surprised this discussion hadn't come sooner; she slumped down into Belladonna's discarded chair and stared fixedly down at the floor as her aunt dropped onto the edge of the desk and crossed her long legs as she watched her niece.

"I know who he is; well I've been told who he is. I've also been told to check you aren't seeing him anymore."

Appleby scowled down at her hands gripping her shoulder bag in her lap and silently cursed her overprotective family.

"I'm not."

Belladonna looked slightly taken aback at the viciousness of Appleby's response but she didn't bring it up, instead she dropped a hand onto her smooth blonde head and tipped her chin up so she could meet her silver-grey eyes with her niece's darkened charcoal-grey ones.

"If you spend time with him you'll get closer to him."

Appleby didn't speak; she was too busy preventing her tears from falling as her hands clenched convulsively at her knees below her short pleated black skirt. Her aunt's eyes, so like her father's, were filled with compassion but not pity; Appleby felt a surge of relief and deeper affection towards her aunt for not pitying her, she could handle anything but someone's pity.

"Appleby, the last thing you want is to be in love with someone you can't have. This is something I know a lot about..."

Her eyes were almost pure black now and her voice faltered as Appleby's hands crept into hers and squeezed it comfortingly. Belladonna had gone on a medi-witch training course when she was nineteen and had fallen in love with one of the wizards on the course, only to find out after six months of studying, working, and generally being together, that he was promised to another witch who he couldn't turn down on account of her father being the top Death Eater after Lucius Malfoy's imprisonment. She had never seen him again.

"I know what I'm doing."

Appleby could see the doubt in her aunt's eyes and she knew she wasn't fooled in the least, and with good reason; she had been having secret meetings with Dante about twice a week since Christmas. They hadn't done what her family was afraid of but they had come very close, mostly they just used the time to be together, she was slowly learning more about him and teaching him to open up to her.

Giving her aunt a falsely confident smile she kissed her cheek briefly and left the room quickly, glancing furiously at her watch and racing down the corridors towards the room at the top of the Astronomy Tower where she was already late for meeting Dante. He still hadn't told her where he went to when he disappeared but she wasn't too bothered as long as he came back to her.

"You're late."

She jumped and shot him a poisonous glare for scaring her before dropping her school bag in the corner, tugging off her shoes and knee-high pale blue socks striped with black zigzagged lines, as was custom between them now and slumped onto the huge black silk bed that had appeared there sometime after their first meeting since Christmas next to him.

"Aunt Bella decided to give me a speech on the consequences of my falling in love... never mind."

She flushed and averted her eyes when he raised an eyebrow at her, his piercing eyes giving her the feeling that he knew exactly what it was she had almost said. Snuggled against each other their easy conversation began almost instantly but Appleby's mind continuously returned to the conversation with Belladonna earlier and what she had almost said to Dante.

* * *

The thunder rolling outside awoke both of them and Appleby scrambled blearily around the tabletop for her watch, gasping when she saw the time and leaping off the bed for her shoes and cloak. She'd already missed dinner and was now in serious danger of getting detention for being out of bed late.

"Is it time to go already?"

Appleby nodded as she pulled her socks up her legs, giving Dante an enticing view as she bent to tug her shoes on.

"Leaving me again, one day you know, I might not let you. How long can we keep this up for? Seriously, can you honestly say you don't care about walking away?"

His voice was rhythmic and sensuous as he spoke to the back of her head and her heart seemed to freeze as it always did when he spoke that way. How could she tell him that every time she had to walk away she left a little more of her heart behind with him?

He reached out and touched her shoulder as she dropped down onto the bed again next to their discarded cloaks. She leaned into his touch and lay back against his chest as he brought his legs over the bed, one leg on each side of her as his hands came to rest on the bare flesh between her sleeveless striped shirt and the skirt at her hips. His thumbs caressed her skin as her head dropped back onto his shoulder.

He could see her pulse flickering beneath the tender flesh of her neck and his mouth tingled for the taste of her. The temptation was too strong and he lowered his lips to nuzzle at the tender flesh at the base of her neck, suckling on the creamy cinnamon body lotion flavoured skin eliciting gasps from her throat as he nipped gently at her skin before skinning his teeth into the tantalizing throb of her pulse point.

"Dante..."

A moan ripped from Appleby's throat as her eyes flickered shut and her hands gripped reflexively at his knees squeezing her legs together slightly to keep her in place. The sensations rippling from where his mouth connected to her throat were earth-shattering as he nipped and sucked at her flesh with surprisingly sharp teeth.

It took every ounce of Dante's strength for him to pull himself away from her at that moment, her disappointed sigh almost pulling him under the spell again but he resisted and turned away, dropping a kiss on her fast-bruising neck and watching as she half-heartedly left the room for her dormitory with a last longing look back at him silhouetted against the moonlight filtering through the boarded up window by the fireplace.

His sensitive ears knew the second the hatch closed and he relaxed his tense position, ripping the boards from the window and dropping his hands onto the dusty window ledge as he stared out at the silvered grounds. He ran his tongue over his slightly swollen lips, tasting the remains of her bitter-sweet blood still tainting his lips as he recalled the fell of her fever-hot skin under his hands, her long pale legs trapped between his and her ever so sweet skin breaking beneath his teeth, the dizzying first taste of her blood touching his lips...

He shook his head violently and thrust it out of the space where the glass of the window should have been, hoping the wind would tear the thoughts away as the blood spell threatened to pull him under again. He was getting in too deep damn it! He shouldn't have done that, he knew the chances he took every time he tasted a person's blood, if his body reacted to it the way it was he definitely should not see her again, in fact he should have killed her before something happened neither of them could prevent.

* * *

Appleby raced down to the dungeons, thanking Merlin several times over when she didn't run into a single person on her way back, not even in the common room as she hurried past the several groups who shouted her over. Dumping her school bag on her bed she shook her head ruefully as she examined her appearance in the mirror.

Her hair had been pulled out of its plait and was ruffled about her head in a tangled cloud, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were fever-bright above her shirt which had been pulled out of her skirt and had half the buttons done up n the rest loose, her skirt on sideways and one of her knee-high socks around her ankle; she looked as though she had been well and truly taken-advantage of.

Whipping into the shower she was just pulling her hair up into a towel until she could be bothered drying it when she caught sight of the mark Dante had left on her neck. A large red bruise fast-turning purple was circling the left side of her neck over her pulse-point which was flickering erratically and there were two pure white dots dead-centre surrounded by a thin black circle around each.

Gingerly touching a finger to it she prodded it, surprised to see it didn't hurt at all as she ran her fingernail over the entire bruise, lingering for a while over the marks as her eyes bored into the reflection against her stark white skin.

As though in a trance she jumped and whipped around when Cecy and Shari banged noisily into the room arguing over which boys they thought were hot and which weren't. Giving them a strained grin Appleby reached up and pretended to scratch her neck to hide the bruise, not entirely sure why she did so but positive she didn't want them to see it nonetheless as she tugged her hair out from under the towel so it covered the bruise.

"Where have you been all day, Appleby?"

Appleby shrugged and gave her friends another forced grin before grabbing a towel and plopping down onto her bed to dry her hair in scrunched up waves for tomorrow.

"You know just around."

Appleby was so deep in thought she didn't notice the knowing look Shari and Cecy exchanged over her head from their opposite sides of the room.

* * *

**valentines-hater** – thanks so much I'm really glad you like it!

**Rumona07** – the whole forbidden love thing is really too good to pass up really isn't it, well it is for me anyway ) anyway cheers for reviewing and glad you like the story

**little-munchkin-poo** – lol now telling you the answers to those questions would totally ruin it! So I'll just let you imagine for a while ;-) thanks for reviewin!

**Scary-As-Hell** – the girl always has to be able to kick the guys ass and being a Malfoy Appleby is quite capable of doing so P unfortunately Dante isn't exactly all good fluffy bunny person but that's what makes him so attractive Anywho cheers for reviewin!

**Nickel** – thank you so much! I love odd names so I'm glad someone else likes my choice D thank you for reading my stories and reviewing )

**Chantal J** – thank you I know my updates are slow but hopefully it will keep you satisfied for now?

**Alicandra Black** – ditsy people annoy me too which is why I try my hardest not to be lol thank you loads for reading and reviewing and can I just ask? Where did you get the name Alicandra cos its really funky! Anyway yeh thanks muchly )


	8. Blood Tears

A/N: only own the plot and characters not recognisable from the books

I'm nearly done with this one now woo only a couple more chapters to go then I'm back onto my other one thanx for reviewing and enjoy : )

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Beat of Your Heart' by Hayley Westenra

Chapter Eight – Blood Tears

Carry me away from this dark and lonely room  
Light me in your arms - all I want to know is you  
Chase away the darkness with everything you are  
I will find my strength in the beat of your heart  
  
Picture book of memories, how we used to be  
Some people spend a lifetime waiting for their dreams  
But I won't find the answers by looking at the stars  
I will find my strength in the beat of your heart  
  
Time held in our hands  
Will change into years gone by  
If I can hold on to you  
I'll leave all my fears behind  
  
Holding on we drift like two flowers on the sea  
Riding on the waves letting go of what will be  
I won't find the answers by staring at the stars  
I've found all my dreams in the beat of your heart  
I've found all my dreams in the beat of your heart

"Whatever it was that cut her has fucked her vampire blood, the poison is unlike anything I've ever seen before it's directly targeted at any abnormalities in the blood. Basically it's killing the vampire cells in her blood which are what help her to heal, so she's losing that ability."

Every word coming out of his little sister's mouth made Viridian pale even further until his hair looked almost black in comparison as the group gaped at Crysta who was furrowing her brow at the analysis of Appleby's blood which Matt had magically made disappear from the Hospital Wing and just as magically appear in the Slytherin common room in his bag.

"Sounds much more complicated when you go through all that crap when basically I'm just fucked."

The group jumped as one and turned to find Appleby with her arms folded and one foot tapping on the floor in her high heeled boot. She couldn't stay angry for long though, she didn't have the energy and she slumped onto the sofa besides Viridian, her head dropping onto his shoulder as she stretched her legs over Matt's knees and yawned.

They didn't say anything but every one of her friends and cousins were shocked at her ragged appearance beneath the beauty, her cheeks were worn down to their admittedly perfect bone structure and the huge bruised circles beneath her eyes only enhanced their fever-induced brightness and her haunting beauty. Appleby knew they were staring but didn't have enough energy left in her to lift open her torturously heavy eyelids as her friends' voices faded from her consciousness and she drifted back to the night before.

((Flashback))

Her eyes swept over the grounds dyed dark blue by the waning moonlight as she hurried out of the dark grip of the Forest. She clutched her cloak closer to her and fought with the wind for control of her hair whipped free of its loose plait down her back. She froze when she heard the crunch of someone crossing the snowy path behind her and she spun around, her heart was pounding as her eyes encountered... nothing. Not entirely convinced it was just the wind she turned slowly back around and continued towards the school, her pace quickening and her breath coming in gasps as she hurried forwards.

This time there was no mistaking the sound of someone behind her as the footsteps increased their pace to match hers and she forgot all pretences of being the future World Saviour, she ran. She stumbled up the hill just before Hagrid's abandoned dilapidated hut and cried out when her feet gave way on some loose ground buried beneath the snow and she fell, screaming at the top of her lungs when a hand colder than the ice beneath her burned against the bared skin of her ankle where her trouser leg had ridden up.

She felt desperate hands tearing at her clothes, ripping her trousers and pulling all the buttons off her blouse as the cold hands gripped at her chest and she thrashed wildly trying to throw whoever it was off her. The person froze and lifted their head, staring around for a moment before leaping away from her and darting off into the night as she sat up trembling and staring around for whatever had saved her.

Something flashed in the lights from the glowing windows of the school and her eyes widened as a small creature like a snake with wings came crashing down. She hardly noticed her mouth was frozen shut with shock but still she silently screamed out in pain as the creature slashed through her cloak jumper blouse and skin leaving a deep gash just below her left breast.

As quickly as it had appeared her attacker was gone and all that was left was the whisper of the wind still whipping tiny snowflakes over the slumped body of a whimpering teenage girl with a sheet of silver hair shading her face from the shower of snow and surrounded by her own blood seeping into her clothes and dying the snow around her.

Her eyes were flickering as she fought the waves of pain ripping through her, she barely had the strength to lift her head the centimetre it took to watch the figure swathed in shadows that gently lifted her up and left her at the bottom of the stairs inside the school where a hurriedly rushing up Head Mistress surrounded by a dozen members of staff and the school nurse surrounded her in a flurry of activity. Only one aged man with a floor length silver beard and matching hair seemed to notice the figure that dissolved into the shadows of the night the second the others arrived.

-----

Beams of harsh lights shot through the hazy layers of pain surrounding her as she slowly came to her senses and took in the entirely white room she was in. the bright lights reflected off the crisp white sheets of the bed she was in as she turned her head slightly to the side to avoid the brightness. Bunches and bunches of flowers had been crowded onto her bedside table, the windowsill above her bed and lined along the edge of the floor against the wall of her cubicle.

"It seems you're quite popular."

The plump, frowning face of the school nurse appeared at her side with a lethal looking needle which she promptly prodded into Appleby's upturned arm and pressed down on the plunger injecting the blood red liquid into her arm. Surprisingly she didn't feel the needle prick her skin but she definitely felt the liquid enter her blood stream as it burned through her body like fire. Panic swiftly followed the pain when she realised she couldn't move at all besides her head.

"Why can't I move?" She croaked, tears of pain welling in her eyes when she tried to sit up but found only slicing agony in her chest and no result.

"Calm down, we just had to numb your entire body while we worked on you. The feeling should return any time now..."

The rest of her words were drowned out by Appleby's shrieking cry as razors of pain shot through her entire body. Hurriedly the nurse sat her up and shoved a steaming potion into her hand which she unwillingly drank, her sobs receding to snuffles as the pain slowly left her everywhere except her back and her chest.

"Why is a stab wound having that effect on me?"

The nurse jumped at her whispered question and slanted her eyes down at the floor avoiding the Malfoy piercing gaze now directed entirely at her.

"Yes, I think we'd all like to know that?"

Appleby twisted her head around to see Matt and Shari with her cousins and friends at their heels running across the room towards her.

"Well unfortunately for you, Mr Napier, it's none of your business."

The nurse's lips were so thin they had all but disappeared as she pulled herself up to her full height and matched Matt glare for glare. Eventually the pair moved apart and the nurse bustled off to bully someone else into getting better while Matt moved to slump down on the end of Appleby's bed.

"We just passed your parents in the hall..."

Appleby snorted and looked over at Crysta sat cross-legged on the end of her bed behind Matt in genuine amusement;

"Trust me we'll know when my father gets here."

No sooner had the words left her mouth when a voice could be heard through the half open Hospital door accompanied by the banging of doors several hallways down and the pounding of heavy boots being stomped on the marble flooring.

"Bloody imbeciles... could have been killed... why don't you bloody well protect your students... I suppose you haven't caught him... I'll catch the fucker then I'll kill him... I want guards all round this school until he's caught... bloody moronic woman as Head of the school... you're still as idiotic as ever Granger... how you managed to become Head of Hogwarts is a mystery to me..."

The occupants of the Hospital Wing had fallen silent a long time ago as the door banged entirely open and a blazing Draco Malfoy stalked in followed by a frantic looking Ginny who promptly raced across the room and threw herself on her daughter. Gibbering madly and close to tears Ginny was finally pried away from Appleby and led off by Belladonna for a cup of coffee laced with Ogden's Fire Whisky in the Head's office.

Looking up into her father's eyes Appleby felt a laser of fear shoot through her as she waited for him to question what she had been doing in the Forbidden Forest at midnight on a Tuesday evening. Instead he shocked her by pulling her up into a warm embrace where she lay stunned, relishing in the warm his body was radiating as his shaking hands smoothed over her matted hair.

"I'm fine daddy, honestly."

Eventually he let her go and she fell backwards gratefully against the pillows trying to soothe her aching back but the sight of her bandage slightly showing beneath her over-sized t-shirt made him turn on the Head Mistress in fury once again.

"How in hell did this happen?"

The bushy haired woman quailed slightly under his ferocious gaze but she held her ground, tilting her chin up to glare at him with her hands clenched at her sides; gone were the days this man terrorised her and her friends at school, now she was in charge of the school and its students and he would not intimidate her again.

"Mister Malfoy..." Pronouncing each syllable carefully through her teeth she stared up at the handsome man before her.

A fire was burning in his silver-grey eyes so they seemed to flash with lightening and his hair seemed to crackle with electricity as he surveyed her.

"We take as many precautions as possible with the safety of our students and the fact remains that Appleby was out of the building after curfew alone."

The furious eyes narrowed as he hissed his next words and those watching could only wonder how the Head teacher hadn't turned tail and run by now.

"Are you saying she brought it on herself?"

The ice in the voice made even Appleby feel sorry for the woman who was so very strict with her and her house-mates and she tugged on her father's hand to stop him.

"Of course not."

"Daddy just leave it."

Deliberating Draco decided to back down for the time being and make sure his daughter was going to be alright.

"Mr Malfoy?"

"Now what?" Draco snapped at the nurse who tightened her lips and straightened up.

"I would like a word with you and your wife... now."

Something about her tone made Appleby's heart plummet and even Draco pale as he nodded meekly and followed the nurse and the Head out of the room.

((End flashback))

Appleby awoke once more in her bed in the corner of the Hospital Wing that had become her home at Hogwarts since the attack. Her body constantly ached from the poison searing through her blood and she was always tired, not even having the energy to play Quidditch anymore as she spent more and more time confined to her bed for her own good.

"You fell asleep again."

Even turning to look at Cecy hurt her head but she was gradually learning to live with it and it was getting slower and slower as the remedies Belladonna concocted took turns in returning her strength.

"Sorry."

Cecy shook her head and smiled leaning over to feel her forehead with the back of her hand. Frowning she withdrew her hand and headed over to the Nurse's office at the opposite end of the wing, pulling the curtains back around Appleby's cubicle as she left. Hearing the rustle of her curtains Appleby lowered her eyes and began fiddling with the sheets tucked around her, figuring it was just Cecy or someone coming to maul her about again 'making her better'. She did not expect Dante to be stood at the foot her bed looking straight from hell in entirely black and a hood over his face as he watched her.

"Dante?"

Her voice barely above a whisper Appleby watched him approach her, nearly screaming in frustration when Cecy flung open the curtain with a wet cloth dripping in her hand and Dante disappeared. She still hadn't figured out how he did that but right now she was too tired to be angry and she sank back against the crisp white pillows in despair a single tear escaping her closed eyelids to roll down her white cheek and drip onto the pillow.

She was already asleep when Cecy backed up and fell over the desk behind her with an almighty bang and a muffled squeak as she lay sprawled on her back propped up by her arms and gaping at Appleby.

"What on earth?!"

The nurse nearly fell over Cecy when she bustled into the room closely followed by Ginny and Draco who took in the situation calmly before holding out a hand for Cecy to take.

"She's crying blood for god's sake, what's happening?"

The nurse turned to a once again frantic Ginny and dropped a hand onto her shoulder comfortingly, shooting Cecy a glare as though it was her fault before replying;

"That's how she's losing the vampire part of her blood; she'll be coughing it up as well for weeks to come."

Cecy winced at the words and fought back her own tears as she led Ginny out of the room to calm her down once again.

-------

Dante watched through the glass window by the door of the Hospital Wing as Appleby leant against Matt on the other side, her body wracked with coughing as the white cloth the nurse was holding to her mouth slowly faded into red. What was in her blood that had him hooked? He had barely tasted it the week before but whatever it was had set a fire in his loins and burned like a constant craving in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked at her.

He knew what was happening to her now he could smell the poison like acid in her blood and her constant pain was like an irritating burning inside him as he watched her suffer. She was dying. They all knew that, even she knew it and there wasn't a single thing any of them could do; not even him.

valentines-hater – Dante is a demon but one of my own creation mixed in with a vampire, all that will become clear in due time

Nickel – thanks so much for all of that lol yay another odd-name lover! u can have a star now :D secrets are never as well kept as we hope are they?

AmericanGirl1114 – they aren't soul mates but because her blood is part vampire he reacted with her because of it meh bein grounded sucks! Parents do hit below the belt with that one don't they. Cheers for reviewing anyway

little-munchkin-poo – the mind is the best place to wander god knows what you'd find in mine though :P I'm so very glad someone likes it pretty stupid to sit writin something ppl don't even like but hey lol hope u enjoy this one

Chantal J – hope this is a quick enough update for u? belladonna is my favourite character of mine I love drawing her as well as writing about her and I really love the name as well hem hem yeh anyway thanx muchly for reviewing and hope u enjoy it :D

short arse – they do indeed but disappearing for a few hours a day every day isn't really going to go unnoticed is it?

Alicandra Black – thanx very muchly :D I'm totally in love with your name now it is so funky! Mine was just a random thing passing through my head at the moment I signed on lol hope you enjoy the next chapter

Rumona07 – thanx for all the compliments in there and I'm glad you like Dante and the story :D


	9. A Late Night Encounter

**A/N**: only own what isn't from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Here's Who I Am' by Tiffany Taylor from the Camp soundtrack

A couple of scenes in this are largely based on Baz Lutherman's version of Romeo

Juliet they'll obviously be recognised and all of it belong to the film

Well the sex scene, not particularly I stopped halfway through but oh well lol hope you all enjoy it and plz review!

**Chapter Nine - A Late Night Encounter**

Here in the dark  
I stand before you, knowing  
This is my chance to show you my heart  
This is the start, this is the start.  
I have so much to say and I'm hoping  
That your arms are open  
Don't turn away, don't you need me?  
But you have to hear me.  
  
Here's where I stand,  
Here's who I am  
Love me, but don't tell me who I have to be  
Here's who I am,  
I'm what you see.  
  
You said I had to change and I was trying  
But my heart was lying  
I'm not a child any longer  
I am stronger

  
Here's where I stand,  
Here's who I am  
Help me, to move on but please don't tell me how  
I'm on my way, I'm moving out  
In this life we've come so far  
But we're only who we are

  
Courage of love  
Will show us the way  
Unlock the power  
To stand up and say

Appleby was getting physically stronger from the remedies by the day as she slowly died inside but she had no will to live anymore, Dante hadn't been to see her since the night after the attack two months ago and she spent her days and nights curled up in her bed staring out of the window silently crying.

In despair her parents had turned to an old friend.

"There must be something we can do for her."

Dumbledore raised his eyes and stared over his half-moon glasses winking in the moonlight at Ginny who was pacing desperately in front of the window besides Appleby's bed, Appleby herself having retreated to the opposite side of the room to give them privacy.

"I'm afraid there isn't Ginerva; it's all up to her now if she wants to live she will."

Draco halted his wife as she passed him and rubbed the back of his hand across his tired eyes, getting to his feet and turning to Dumbledore.

"I guess it's her choice. She'll pull through; I know it she has enough to live for."

Ginny snorted and Draco turned to look down at her.

"Yes all that watching her friends die as she fights to save a world that hasn't done anything but hand her pain."

The bitter sentence rested uneasily in the air as Draco pulled Ginny towards him before moving towards the hospital doors.

"There's still one thing."

Draco and Ginny turned to look at Dumbledore whose face was grave as he watched Appleby slump down onto the window ledge at the opposite end of the hospital wing and draw her knees up to her chin.

"What's that?"

Draco felt Ginny's shoulders tense beneath his fingers and he squeezed her comfortingly as they waited for Dumbledore's answer. Unknown to them Appleby was listening, her head resting on her knees turned slightly so she could hear with both ears as she scratched absently at her bare arm beneath her white strappy top and matching tiny shorts.

"Can she kill the man she loves to save us all?"

The three of them turned to look at her as she raised her head slightly and turned to stare out at the moonlight drenched grounds with Dumbledore's voice ringing in her head; could she kill Dante? Could she take away his life if it came to it? She didn't move even when Dumbledore and her parents retreated towards the door still conversing in terse whispers.

"But, Professor... surely if he cares so much for her he'll come for her."

Dumbledore paused with the door halfway open towards him, his hand resting on the door handle as he turned to look at Ginny.

"I imagine he will."

Draco's hand crept into his wife's and she squeezed it tightly trying to draw comfort from him; they were in a situation she had only encountered once in her life where she didn't know what to do or think and it scared her.

"So shouldn't we watch and make sure she's safe?"

Dumbledore fixed his piercing gaze on Draco; the boy had changed so much since he had married Ginny. She had softened him, showed him it was okay to love and he was much better for it except in situations like these where his newfound feelings overrode his instincts.

"He won't hurt her intentionally, not until the Final Battle at least where there will be no choice."

Tears welled in Ginny's eyes as she remembered the innocence she had lost after killing another person, maybe not an entirely human person but still a living breathing person and she felt the twisting of fear in her gut for her daughter.

"So what do we do?"

Draco had never before had to worry too much about someone; his friends and his wife had always been able to care for themselves and handle any threat on their own, but Appleby had only trained in fighting techniques and duels, she had never had to fight for her life and his helpless position in the whole thing was driving him insane.

"Let him come to her..."

Dumbledore glanced back at Appleby who was still staring out of the window but the Malfoy's watched him instead, his heavily lined face was suddenly lit from inside as his mind encountered the powerful thing of a love strong enough to survive death.

"If it's all we can do we shall give them one night to spend as they wish. In the end, a lot of things can happen in one night, things to hold onto when life gets too hard and hope seems to have forsaken us entirely."

His face was clouded for a second and Ginny was sure she could see the sadness drawn from a loss deep inside his eyes that made her reach a hand out to grip his slightly. He glanced down at their hands briefly; squeezing hers slightly before moving away and pulling open the door enough for them to pass through. None of them noticed Appleby now huddled on her bed behind the curtains with her arms wrapped around her legs as she sobbed silently into her knees.

Hearing someone outside the curtains thrown up to give her some privacy she pulled them apart slightly and screamed into whoever's hand had clamped over her mouth. She was dragged backwards into the space encircled by the curtains by a whirl of black where she was tossed onto the crumpled bed sheets unceremoniously as the black figure performed a Silencing Charm on the curtains.

"Dante!"

She shot off the bed and into his arms seconds after he had lowered the hood of the expensive black cloak covering his shoulders and sweeping the floor. Breathing in his scent and burying her face in his chest she felt a sense of calm and belonging only he could bring to her as he stroked her bare shoulders under the thin white straps of her top. She pulled away slightly so she could see his face, his eyes softened as they always were when they were together.

"If they find you here they'll kill you."

He watched her for a moment, his face oddly cold and warm at the same time as she stared up at him with huge eyes, her bottom lip trembling ever so slightly.

"Isn't that your job?"

She stared up at him with something bordering on fear in her eyes as his hands caressed her slender white neck, so frail and easy to snap it would only take a little pressure to end it all right now. Instead he dropped his hands to her shoulders.

"Yes."

His eyes darkened until they were completely black and she swallowed nervously as his hands tightened slightly on her shoulders.

"Is that why you stayed with me?"

Shutters slammed up in her eyes and she wrenched away from him, dropping down onto the edge of the bed and swinging her legs over to the other side so she had her back to him.

"You actually believe that? Now you're just being goddamn childish." She hissed, tears welling in her eyes as she folded her arms and straightened her back away from him. She knew he'd left without even turning round and she collapsed onto the floor at the end of her bed, dissolving into tears once more as she cradled her head in her hands.

* * *

She knew it was late; everyone had already gone and the hospital wing was silent besides the heavy rhythmic breathing of the other patients. She was still slumped on the floor at the end of her bed, one arm resting on the edge of her mattress as she gazed unseeingly out of the window high up in the wall to the right of her bed.

She sensed him behind her and turned slowly, watching as he silently parted the curtains enough for him to pass through. His hood was down this time and she rose to her feet wordlessly, meeting him as he took a step forward, his hands met at her waist and hers locked around his shoulders. Their lips met exactly in time and she lost herself in the kiss, her pulse beating in the back of her mouth as he sucked gently on her tongue and bottom lip.

"Obviously you've done this before."

She blushed when he pulled away and spoke, she nodded; her entire body seemed to be alive to his touch and fire had joined the blood seeping through her veins. He crossed his arms at the small of her back and gripped the hem of her top, pulling it up over her head and capturing her lips in a kiss as it caught on her nose and she smirked. He trailed his hands over her bare back as he dropped her top on the floor and caught her lips in another kiss. No matter how often she kissed him she could always do it once more, his lips burned her with an inner fire and she could feel his need for her through his lips and fingertips.

He edged kisses down her jaw and along her neck and shoulder until she was squirming beneath his lips, then he moved down to her breasts. He teased her with his tongue and lips until she was hardly breathing and her hands were painfully knotted in his silky hair.

"Has anyone ever done that before?"

She nodded, her eyes darkened to slate-grey with lust as the scent of desire washed over him, almost releasing the demon he had kept shackled inside. He felt an explosion of jealousy at her nod and he gripped her arms savagely, only releasing his grip when she gazed down at him with huge eyes filled with innocence.

"On to new territory then."

He gave her a wicked grin and lifted her up easily, tossing her backwards onto the bed where she flailed among the pillows and sheets until she tore her head free and found him smirking down at her. Sliding a fingertip under the hem of her black lace thong he slowly edged it down her thighs, raising an eyebrow at 'Wishful Thinking' emblazoned across them in pink letters. He smoothed his hand over her soft satiny curves of her perfectly constructed body and placed his lips at the centre of her chest, slowly edging his way to her creamy thighs, their eyes remained locked the entire time as her hands gripped the sheets and her groans and squirms became louder and more vigorous.

"I'm guessing no one's done that before."

She shook her head, her cheeks were flushed, her body was coated with sweat and he was still fully dressed with the exception of his shoes and socks. Her uncharacteristic shyness had long since gone and she tore at his shirt, feeling a sudden need to feel his flesh against hers. His jeans were discarded as quickly as his shirt and he lay down besides her propped up on one elbow as he traced a hand over her body once again.

* * *

The sound of the nurse bustling about ripping open the curtains from the windows awoke Appleby and she stretched, reaching out across the pillow to find only empty crinkled sheets. The events of the night before came crashing back down on her and she sat up as quickly as the painful ache between her legs and in her heart would allow.

Her dazed eyes took a while to focus on Matt who was watching her silently from the chair next to her bed, his own eyes taking in the generous expanse of a long brown leg thrown carelessly over the top of the crisp white sheet. Lifting a hand to her head to swipe back her curtain of silver-blonde hair something glittered on her left hand and she held it up to the light.

Not moving her gaze from the sparkling object on her wedding finger Appleby answered Matt's unasked question in a dumbfounded tone as she shifted her hand slightly so it caught the light.

"Dante's signet ring."

Matt raised an eyebrow at her as she finally lowered her hand but remained staring at the ring with a totally frozen face.

"The parents won't like it, but it evidently makes you happy..."

Matt trailed off and got to his feet, kissing her temple gently and leaving the cubicle of the curtains around her bed, nodding stiffly at Dante who he knew had been hovering outside for a while now.

When Dante glided into the space her curtains made Appleby gaped up at him in even more shock than when she had first caught sight of her ring. He stared fixedly at her ring then back to her face and a smile broke out on her face as she leapt to her feet on the bed throwing herself at him until they were both tangled in the sheets in a passionate embrace.

* * *

_AmericanGirl1114_ – parents are there to go overboard and pay for everything its there job shrugs yeah anyway I'm not revealing if Appleby dies or not you'll just have to keep reading and find out evil laugh

_little-munchkin-poo_ – as you can see Dumbledore reappeared just in time to give us all something riddling to think about as is his way cheers for reviewing x

_Chantal J_ – I was watching Moulin rouge when I wrote it which is probably why it came out so much like the scene Anywho cheers for reviewing

_valentines-hater_ - shrugs I have artistic license to do what I want with my characters :p keep reading and we'll find out if she dies or not

_Alicandra Black_ – yeah I think there isn't much left to do in this story since it was a simple plot anyway shrugs thanks muchly for reviewing :D


	10. Vows

**A/N**: I'm only borrowing the characters from the books to play with; everything else is my own world

The lyrics are from 'Broken' by Seether ft. Amy Lee, 'I Sing For You' from the Camp soundtrack

I know it's really short and really crap but I had to get this bit out of the way then I could get on with the ending which I think shall be completed in the next chapter and there is a **_SNEAK PEAK_** at the end of the reviews on this chapter...

**Chapter Ten - Vows**

The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain  
  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

"Are you ready for this?"

Appleby watched Shari's reflection in the mirror as Cecy finished fluffing out the bottom of her dress. She nodded and took a deep breath that made the body glitter sprinkled down her cleavage glisten in the light as Cecy straightened up and smoothed down the back of her dress where it gathered just below her shoulder blades in a curving dip.

"I still think you should tell your parents about all this, Aunt Ginny will be devastated when she finds out."

Appleby's huge made-up fever-bright eyes met Viridian's in the floor length mirror as she took in his words. She did want her parents to be there very much, but she couldn't risk the fact that they might try and stop it from happening.

"And I still think is a bad idea; you've only known the guy six months!"

Appleby sighed and turned around, sweeping her dress out and around her as she did so until she was facing her friends and cousins scattered around her room with varying looks of emotion on their faces.

"Look I love you guys, I always will but I'm going through with this and if you don't like it then fuck you."

Crysta and Stevie blinked in unison at Appleby's words but the older members of the group hardly acknowledged her last words as they watched her determined face, shades of her mother's stubbornness shining through her typical Malfoy arrogance.

"Alright then let's get going I better go check Dante's not ripped the place apart yet."

Viridian grinned when Appleby scowled and threw a nearby cushion at his departing back before turning back to the mirror and nervously going over a stupid Muggle tradition in her head. Ok she had something old; the beautiful butterfly shaped diamond encrusted clip of her mother's holding up half of her silvery-blonde curls while the rest cascaded down her neck, something new was obviously her dress; something borrowed was the necklace of silver strands at different lengths holding tiny elegantly glowing pearls and diamonds of Shari's around her neck and something blue was the delicately stitched pale blue and white lace garter around her right upper thigh.

"I'm proud of you, you know."

Appleby jumped and turned to Matt who had managed to rid the room of everyone and was standing behind her smoothing his large brown hands over her pale trembling shoulders rising out of the clinging off-the-shoulder ivory dress.

"You are?"

Maybe if Matt was proud of her it wasn't so bad what she was doing? She really did want to be doing this at Malfoy Manor with her entire family surrounding her and supporting her but that wasn't a choice now.

"I am and you know..." He trailed off and dropped a kiss in the hollow of her neck. "It's not too late to tell them."

Appleby watched his reflection straighten up and close the door silently behind his back, leaving her alone in her room facing the dilemma of both sides of her heart fighting each other beneath her chest. Taking a deep breath she pushed such thoughts to the back of her mind and headed towards the door, meeting Matt on the other side with a smile of calm she didn't quite feel.

Allowing him to lead her down numerous staircases until they reached the chapel attached to the back of the Great Hall Appleby felt a bolt of fear she had never experienced even before a key Quidditch match and she hesitated.

"Appleby?"

She forced a smile at Matt as Shari and Cecy bustled over, smoothing down her dress and instructing Crysta and Stevie on exactly how they should hold up the long heavy ivory coloured train that glittered with crystals and pearls sewn into it in beautiful intricate designs as they thrust a bunch of roses, lilies, and various other magical and Muggle white flowers into her trembling hands.

Making last minute checks that the train was securely held up off the floor and away from Appleby's feet; her hair was still perfect with every strand in place and the intricately embroidered bodice covered in individual pearl-beads wasn't too tight or the semi-transparent white sleeves that fell from a dip below her shoulder down her smooth white arm to just above her elbow weren't going to get in the way, Shari and Cecy finally let Appleby take Matt's outstretched arm.

As Appleby set off down the aisle with Matt, accompanied by proudly beaming Crysta and Stevie in their long black dresses sleeveless with the small white bow tied around their waists at the back, and the Wedding March which she had insisted on being played by Isaac today in tight black trousers and fluorescent pink shirt, Shari and Cecy wiped away their stray tears and grabbed their own much smaller bouquets.

They bustled down the aisle after Appleby in their own much sexier versions of the black bridesmaids dresses; theirs was gathered at the front over their breasts and fell into their own miniature trains behind them in clinging black silk.

Approaching Dante Appleby forced a smile from her numb lips and turned to Matt who kissed her gold-dusted cheek and gently pulled the front half of her veil over her face so it just touched her chest before heading over to sit next to Gabriella who Viridian had managed to talk Appleby into having as a witness. Furious to admit that she was slightly tearful herself, Gabriella was currently scowling down at the floor as she jiggled her foot dangling in the air from her crossed legs impatiently and sank back in the chair with her arms folded.

"Appleby Alexis Malfoy, I give you this ring, wear it with love and joy. I choose you to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; to have and to cherish as long as we both shall live."

Appleby felt ears prick her eyelids as she watched Dante slip the single silver band, inscribed with a spell that connected the wearer to the giver in Elvish, onto her wedding finger neatly.

"Dante Curtis, I give you this ring, wear it with love and joy. I choose you to be my husband: to have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; to have and to cherish, as long as we both shall live."

As his ring was pushed up his finger Dante and Appleby both experienced a flash of something they couldn't name as their rings both glowed a vibrant silver and Dumbledore smiled down at them both, praying like he had never prayed before that this marriage may change the future.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Dante gently lifted the veil back to find Appleby smirking seductively at him as he brushed her lips carefully with his own, his tongue edging along the satiny smooth cushion of her lower lip.

Shari promptly burst into noisy sobs on Matt's shoulder as the couple by the alter broke away and turned grinning to the minute gathering that witnessed their marriage.

* * *

As amazing as it was both the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses were partying together in the Great Hall, admittedly they didn't know what the celebration was for but champagne and music were flowing so why should they care? The room was packed to the brim with students from both houses and various others from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who had been specially invited.

Telling everyone it was a fancy dress party was a perfect way for Appleby to get away with keeping on her dress all night without having to answer endless questions and queries. Right now the train was thrown over her arm as she engaged in an exuberant version of the Macarena with nearly all her cousins and friends in spiraling rows behind and around her. With the introduction of alcohol the volume had swung right up to the point where most of the students from every year of every house had crashed the party and were descending on what was left of the buffet like locusts in their various pajamas and night-clothes.

"Alright alright listen up!"

Shari's bellows were drowned out by the cheers and shouts of the crowd surrounding those spilling off the dance floor still loudly dancing but now to 'Saturday Night'.

"_Sonora_! **ALRIGHT SHUT UP YOU BUNCH OF IGNORANT LITTLE KNEAZLES**!"

The music was turned down to a minimum but a bunch of defiant Gryffindors remained chatting loudly at the back of the hall as everyone else turned to Shari to hear what she had to say.

"**IT BEING SUCH A GREAT EVENT WE DECIDED TO BREAK TRADITION AND ENGAGE THE HELP OF SOME MUDBLOO... AHEM SOME MUGGLEBORNS WHO BROUGHT US THIS WONDERFUL TOTALLY ODD FASCINATING THING I'M SURE**."

Raising an amused eyebrow at the incredulous look on Shari's face Appleby grinned to herself, wondering what it was Shari had 'borrowed'.

"**SO WITHOUT FURTEHR ADO HERE WE HAVE A KAROKEKEKEE MACHINE**!"

Shari glared at the room as it burst into fits of giggles from those familiar with karaoke machines as she whipped her wand at the table drenched in a silver silk cloth to reveal a karaoke machine bewitched to run on magic and hooked up to a small television screen before a microphone. Crysta was working the machine and propped a thumbs up at Shari who beamed and dived into the crowd, emerging with a furiously struggling, biting, scratching and swearing Stevie. Shoving her into the spotlight Shari nodded at Crysta and leaped off the stage out of the way as music pounded through the hall and its occupants returned to their food and drink while those on the dance-floor began swaying to the music already.

"_I sing for you and only you  
Wherever I go I find you  
You're in the sound of every hello  
In everything I do  
You're the song I was destined to know  
And I only sing for you_

_You went away. I should have known  
You leave so many dreams behind you  
Thought I'd be fine just being alone  
I didn't have a clue  
But my heart had a mind of its own  
And would only sing for you  
  
You're in the sound of the rain  
Clouds in a winter sky  
In a thousand unsaid words  
In a thousand crazy reasons why  
You were meant to fly  
So fly for me and day by day  
  
I'll keep hoping your heart reminds you  
Nothing but love can stand in our way  
But love can see us through  
Maybe that's all I wanted to say  
I will always sing for you  
I will always sing for you_" 

Stevie's piercingly sweet voice soared over the crowds' heads as they danced to the music and Appleby, locked into Dante's arms with her head nestled against his shoulder, was feeling faint as much from happiness as from her fever.

* * *

**valentines-hater** – I thank you muchly!

**Alicandra Black** – killing will be coming very soon and the outcome probably won't shock any of my reader's lol I kind of got carried away there should have been more Draco/Ginny I suppose and there will be soon thanx for reading even though its not what you like ï 


	11. Farewell

A/N: only own what's not recognisable from the books

The lyrics at the beginning are from '10 000 Miles' by Mary Chapin Carpenter

Thanx to all who reviewed throughout he entire story you ppl rock!

Sorry about the shortness, the crapness, the lack of Draco/Ginny and the basic all round rubbishness of it but I had a major block at the time of writing and it wouldn't come out right anyway here it is the last chapter

Chapter Eleven – Farewell

Fare thee well  
My own true love   
Farewell for a while  
I'm going away  
But I'll be back   
Though I go 10,000 miles  
  
10,000 miles  
My own true love   
10,000 miles or more  
The rocks may melt  
And the seas may burn  
If I should not return  
  
Oh don't you see  
That lonesome dove  
Sitting on an ivy tree  
She's weeping for  
Her own true love   
As I shall weep for mine

"Dante?"

Appleby's voice reverberated back from the damp stone walls to her own ears as her sharp eyes searched every corner of the dungeon corridor for her husband. Eventually she saw a shadow flickering in the back of a dungeon at the very bottom of the school where no light penetrated the room save the tiny slice of moonlight filtering in from the arrow shaped window in the far wall.

"You know why we're here don't you?"

She sighed and tugged her veil out of her hair, dropping carelessly into a corner where the tiara tinkled across the stone floor before resting in a heap behind her.

"I know, I did think we could avoid it."

Dante shook his head and raised his eyes to see his wife framed by the barred door, the torch-light from the corridor silhouetting her so her hair glowed and turned her skin to fire, she was beautiful. Silently he drew his sword from the sheath by his side and balanced it in his hand with the other, carefully twisting it in his hand and offering the hilt to her. She took it.

"This isn't our choice; this was decided a long time ago."

She knew better than to think he was justifying their situation but she listened anyway, enjoying the sound of his voice in her ears and watching his every movement with carefully emptied eyes. Her palm was sweating against the metal of the sword hilt in her hand and she tightened her grip, kicking off her high heels and balancing on the toes of her bare feet as she waited for the fight to begin.

She had accepted the fact that this would happen no matter what they did to stop it and was caught between a desperate desire to let him kill her and get it over with and her sense of stupid responsibility to the world. Testing the waters she took a step forward and clashed her sword lightly against Dante's watching as he blocked it perfectly, his face expressionless but his eyes a fury of emotions.

She barely had time to register the fact they were fighting when his sword sliced against her shoulder, tearing away her sleeve and releasing blood in a scarlet trickle down her arm and dress, she bit down on her lip hard refusing to shout out. She glared up at him as he flinched at the deep gash in her shoulder and darted back towards him her sword colliding with his own shoulder with a final sounding crack that gave her the distinct impression she had broken or dislocated something at the very least

Fighting back a torrent of guilt she stepped back and squared her burning shoulder, blinking hard as her vision blurred for a second. She was busy shaking her head to clear it of the fog descending on her when he caught her unawares and she slipped against his blow and fell to the ground, hard. A flashing moment of guilt made Dante back away from her as she pulled herself up with her good arm and rubbed the back of her head where she had landed, pulling back a hand covered in blood.

He watched her as she watched him and he shuddered, he didn't want to do this, he didn't want to make her do this. Appleby's eyes flickered up, burning pure black with tears she refused to shed they watched as Dante watched her back. Rising from her kneeling position on the floor her eyes still didn't leave her husband's as she silently drew the discarded sword from the floor and took a step towards Dante, her white dress splattered with blood both hers and his as she flexed her long white fingers against the black hilt encrusted with emeralds.

"Can you do it? Can you go to the extreme to save the world that gave you nothing but fear and pain?"

His voice sprang back from the grimy walls of the dungeon as she stood watching him; one of her sleeves had been ripped from her dress and was tied around the top of her arm steadily turning red and leaking blood onto her lily-white flesh. As she took another step forward her dress parted to make room for her bare leg as the slashed material fell away from her thigh to reveal bruises from her encounter with the floor earlier.

He said the words so easily he didn't know her heart was breaking inside her chest, she could literally feel it tearing itself open with every second that took them closer to the end. Tightening her bloodied fingers on the sword in her grip she coiled every muscle into the pounce she was preparing and narrowed her eyes, furiously hating the world for what it was making her do.

He watched her and suddenly he wasn't afraid, in fact he closed his eyes on the dull dank dungeon they were standing in, he wasn't there he was back in the Hospital Wing on that first night. He could feel her skin against his as she breathed his name over and over, her fingertips smoothing over his lips in wonder as he gazed down on her feeling her melting in his arms as they moved.

He opened his eyes to look at Appleby, his eyes telling him what his mouth couldn't and she faltered. Their eyes locked and he knew this was killing her as much as it was breaking him but he also knew she wouldn't change her mind; this was the only choice. Sighing he took a minute step towards her his eyes never leaving hers as his heart told her his choice and she knew, in that instant she knew, if she didn't do it he'd do it anyway.

She lunged...

She fell to her knees again next to him and hauled him towards her, with a great deal of difficulty he smiled up at her and raised a bloodied hand to trace a long finger over her cheek, down her nose and over her trembling lips. Closing her eyes against her tears she leaned down and brushed his lips with hers, feeling his gasping breaths against her lips. Her tears drifted onto his cheeks and he licked his lips tasting their salt against his tongue as she tugged him into a sitting position, his dark head resting on her bare shoulder.

She rocked him gently until she could hear his breathing getting shallower and his grip was loosening and tightening on her waist as spasms of pain increased their regularity. Finally Appleby knew what was coming and she leaned down so she could hear the words he was fighting desperately to say to her;

"You're mine, always."

Nodding she could barely get the words out of her mouth as she agreed and lowered her head to kiss him one last time;

"Always."

Letting out a howl of desolation when he fell back into her arms she leant her head against his shoulder and sobbed for all she was worth, smears of blood smudging her tears and left over make-up as she heard the door click open behind her. A hand was dropped onto her shoulder but she ignored it until it was accompanied by a familiar voice;

"He's not entirely gone, Appleby. As we speak there is a part of him growing in this very room not as far away as you'd think."

Appleby jerked her head up and stared and Dumbledore in disbelief, was he serious?

"I'm... pregnant?"

He nodded, his eyes twinkling with tears as much as amusement at her shell-shocked face breaking into an amazed grin.

"So the test we did inform us."

Appleby looked back down at Dante still cradled in her arms and leant down to give him one last kiss, her hands smoothing over every inch of his face as though committing him to her memory which was stupid; his face was already engraved into her heart.

------

AmericanGirl1114 – ((hits on head)) do you remember? I have a younger brother and he never does anything for me or gives me anything. My mom overreacts so much if you're in 2 minutes late its all 'you had me worried sick, you should have rang me, you're grounded!' ahem yeah anyway thanks muchly for all the reviews and hope this was acceptable as an ending

Nickel – you could have used the name Dante if you'd liked lol I don't mind I'm glad you like it! I hope you didn't damage yourself too much waiting for it and I hope it was worth the pain. Thanx for all reviews

little-munchkin-poo – I bet I didn't make you cry in this one cos its not very good, I made ppl cry in my songfic though! Naturally it was a D/G fic ahem yeah I'll shut up now :D thanx for reviewing and putting up with my ramblings!

Alicandra Black – thanx for all the compliments! And also for putting up with my stories hehe I'm going to work on my other fic Dark Temptations again very very soon woo! Anyway yeah I'll stop self-promoting now :D oh yeah go me I have a number 1 fan!! And it's someone with excellent taste in names as well, can't get much better than that :D

Sphinxtress – thanx for the review hope it was ok!


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